Plumbing Failures That Lead to Water Damage | SERVPRO® of Piscataway

Have you ever stopped to consider the causes of water damage? When thinking about water damage, severe weather is usually one of the first things that comes to mind for many.

While storms and flooding can cause an enormously overwhelming amount of water damage, they are often not the main culprits. Various items in your home can be responsible for many incidents that result in water damage.

Water Damage in the Home

Water damage is the third most common reason that many homeowners submitted homeowners insurance claims between 2011 and 2015, with an average payout per claim of $8,861.

There is a difference between water damage and gradual water damage that does have an impact on insurance claims. Examples of gradual damage are ongoing issues that have been happening over time, such as plumbing issues in the walls causing damage to walls, ceilings or floors, or water damage caused by cracks in the foundation of a home. Unfortunately, many claims filed for gradual water damage are not covered by homeowners insurance, while storm-related water damage usually is.

Common Water Damage Culprits

According to the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), the leading causes of water damage are:

  • PLUMBING SUPPLY SYSTEM FAILURES. This involves frozen pipes that can burst due to the buildup in water pressure caused by freezing water or when the supply system material fails and results in leaking or bursting pipes. Per IBHS, plumbing supply system failures are the leading source of residential water losses—and claims cost an average of $5,092 per incident after the deductible. It was also found that homes 16 to 40 years of age made up a large majority of supply system material failure claims.

  • PLUMBING DRAIN SYSTEM FAILURES. This can occur if a sewer drain backs up and overflows into a home or when materials used in the drain system break down. In its report, IBHS found that 52% of drain system failures were caused by sewer backups and 37% were related to material performance issues. They also found that the average drain system failure claim was more expensive in southern region states than in northern region states.

  • TOILET FAILURES. Toilets are the second highest source of residential water loss after plumbing supply system failures, and can happen with anything from faulty fill valves or clogged drain lines. According to IBHS, surprisingly, toilet failures on the first floor of a home resulted in more severe claims than those in basements or upper floors.

  • WATER HEATER FAILURES. If your water heater has reached or gone beyond its life expectancy, you can expect that the tank will begin to rust and corrode, which can cause leaking or bursting line issues. IBHS found that 69% of all water heater failures were the result of slow leaks or sudden bursting and, on average, cost $4,444 per incident following the deductible.

  • WASHING MACHINE FAILURES. These types of failures are typically caused by supply hose failures, machines that overflow and drain line failures. Washing machines are one of the top 10 sources of residential water losses and, according to IBHS, supply hose failures were the cause of over half of all washing machine-related water damage losses.

If your home ever experiences any type of water damage, our professional team at SERVPRO® of Piscataway is available 24⁄7 to help with the cleanup and restoration of your home and make it look “like it never even happened.”