Water Damage at Home

4/3/2019 (Permalink)

When you consider the statistics, it becomes clear just how common and devastating a problem water damage can be. According to industry estimates, 14,000 people in the US experience a water damage emergency at home or work each day, and 98% of basements in the US will suffer from some type of water damage during their lifetime.

The costs are just a staggering as the frequency. Water damage and mold cost the insurance industry $2.5 billion dollars per year, and the average cost of a home water damage insurance claim is $6,965.

Water leaks alone leave incredible amounts of damage and immense waste in their wake. Water leaks from homes in the US can exceed 1 trillion gallons of water in a year. That's equivalent to the annual water usage of Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami combined! These individual leaks often seem tiny, but over time they can generate enormous waste and damage to a home. For example, a continuously running toilet can waste over 200 gallons of water per day, and a 1/8 inch crack in a pipe can spill 250 gallons of water in a day.

Although water damage can happen quickly and cause immense damage, there are ways to prevent a lot of it. If you live in a flood prone area, learn about steps you can take to prepare for a flood, including having flood control devices like sandbags or flood barriers on hand. If groundwater saturation is an issue for your property, ensure that your basement is protected with a high quality sump pump and a dependable backup system, like a battery backup sump pump or a water powered sump pump. Get in the habit of monitoring and maintaining areas in your home prone to water damage.

*based on information from Water Damage Defense