Burst Pipe Cleanup Tips For Old Saybrook Homeowners

2/6/2020 (Permalink)

Two pipes burst in this attic causing water damage to ceilings, hardwood floors, and carpets all the way down to their basement!

You come home from a long day at work ready to relax and watch TV… Until you realize a pipe burst while you were gone and flooded your basement! A water damage event can be an overwhelming nightmare for any homeowner. How will you get rid of water that goes past your ankles? Will insurance cover the damages? Who can help you clean and repair your home? Don’t worry – we’ll answer all those questions right here!

8 Steps To Take When A Pipe Bursts:

1. Turn off your water supply! It may be obvious, but this will prevent your home from flooding even further.
2. If electrical appliances are in standing water – turn off the power. Safety first!
3. Contact a plumber. They can repair the pipe that burst and diagnose any other problem areas.
4. Remove any wet furniture, carpets or personal belongings from rooms affected. Hopefully many of your belongings will be salvageable, but if not, SERVPRO of Old Saybrook offers contents restoration services.
5. Begin to remove standing water as fast as possible. Time is of the essence when it comes to flooding and water damage! Use towels or mops to absorb as much water as possible. If there is a considerable amount of standing water, you may need to buy a wet-dry shop vac or contact a company to extract the water for you.
6. Dry out the area affected. Bring fans into the room and turn them on their highest settings. Set up dehumidifiers in the dampest areas to help in removing moisture from the room. If there was a significant amount of standing water or the room was flooded for a long time, household fans and dehumidifiers might not completely dry the room.
7. If water has absorbed in to the subfloor, carpets, drywalls, etc., call a professional water damage restoration company like SERVPRO of Old Saybrook. Water damage restoration companies use moisture readers and professional grade drying equipment to ensure your home has been properly dried. This equipment allows us to tackle water damage down to a science, and show to you that we have done our job properly.
8. If needed, restore and rebuild the water damaged area. Drywall may need to be repaired or repainted, new floors may need to be installed, or the area may need to be deeply cleaned and sanitized.

Why Should I Be Sure To Properly Dry Water Damaged Areas?

If you don’t take the correct steps to dry out your home, multiple issues may arise over time. Check out our water damage timeline for more detailed information.

• Paint may begin to bubble or blister.
• Wood floor can swell, warp, or start to come up.
• Mold and mildew can spread around your home in as little as 48 hours after untreated water damage.
• Major unmitigated water damage can cause serious structural safety issues over time.
• Waiting to address water damage will result in higher restoration and reconstruction costs.

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Burst Pipes?

Good news - Most of the time the damage resulting from a burst pipe will be covered by your insurance. This is because burst pipes are a sudden and unforeseen loss.

However, you may have to show the insurance company that the damage in your home came from the burst pipe and was not there beforehand, and that you weren’t responsible for the pipe bursting in the first place.

You may be thinking – how could a burst pipe be my fault? I didn’t slice it open! Well – if you neglected to repair clearly old or corroded pipes in your home, insurance may deny your claim as it was a foreseen issue that could have been repaired.

If you’re unsure about your coverage, SERVPRO of Old Saybrook can help guide you through the insurance claims process. Our First Responders can meet with you onsite, inspect damages, review your policy, tell you if your loss should be covered, and the best method of filing your claim to ensure it isn’t denied.

Have Questions or Need Help? Call SERVPRO of Old Saybrook For Burst Pipe Cleanup & Repair 800-734-3213

We are highly trained water removal and cleanup specialists and are ready to service your Old Saybrook area home when flooding or water leaks cause water damage.

SERVPRO of Old Saybrook provides:

• 24/7/365 Rapid emergency service
• Free Inspections
• Free estimates
• Direct insurance billing & guidance through insurance process.

Don’t wait for water damage to get worse. Call 800-734-3213 to speak with our on-call technicians now!