Frozen Pipes Lead To Property Damage

Rainbow Services Chicago’s Winder Wonderland: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycY3NskMvNE&feature=youtube_gdata

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It’s that time of year again. We are slipping and sliding all over the roads. Our winter attire has us bundled up and made us immobile like little Randy from A Christmas Story.

The winter wonderland may be serene outside but inside pipes are bursting like party poppers on New Year’s Eve. In the colder months your homes pipes are at risk. When the temperature drops below 32 degrees the water inside pipes can start to freeze. When water freezes inside of the pipe it starts to expand causing the pipe to crack. A minimal sized crack can lead to costly water damage once the water starts to thaw. A minimal sized crack in a pipe can leak 200 gallons or more per day if it continues to go unnoticed.

Water damage is among the most common causes of insurance claims. In 2013 Illinois ranked number 6 among the top ten states with the most water-related claims reported by State Farm. (Source: http://www.wctv.tv/) This year alone 8,100 water-related claims were reported to State Farm just in Illinois. Frozen pipes from last year’s winter greatly impacted this total.

The damage left behind from a burst pipe can range all across the board. If the crack was large and water was gushing out or has continued to leak for days you may be looking at some severe damage. For information on contributing factors that affect water damage clean up costs check out: http://blogsbynikiramirez.blogspot.com/2014/07/howmuch-can-water-damage-cost-you-many.html.

The sooner you are able to address the issue the less damage you may have. Hard wood flooring affected by a category 1 loss (clean water from a burst pipe) can be saved if treated in a timely manner. Most insurance companies have a clause that requires the insured to perform mitigation in order to get coverage on their property damage. An example of this would be reporting your claim in a timely fashion. If you waited two weeks to report the claim and the water damage can turned into mold damage. If this occurs you may have a fight on your hands getting the mold paid for seeing as the mold damage could have been prevented if the water loss was reported in time and treated.

In general, water damage from a burst pipe can be covered by a standard homeowners or commercial insurance policy. Something you may run into is that some policies require the insured to maintain a certain temperature in buildings and homes while others may require homeowners to have a working alarm system in the event the heat turns off.​ Though you company may cover the water damage left behind they will not covered the damaged pipe itself. It is your responsibility to pay for the cost to repair, replace and pay the plumber for the service. Review your policy with your insurance agent to make sure you are covered if you had a frozen pipe loss on your hands.

To prevent frozen pipes try these tips:

• Make sure your gutters are free of debris so melting snow and ice can flow freely through the gutter.
• Allow your faucet to drip cold water slowly. Flowing water will prevent freezing.
• Do not lower the temperature in the winter months even when you’re home.
• Open cabinet doors below sinks to allow warm air to circulate.
• If you’re away for an extended period of time winterize your pipes by having them drained.
• If you’re away for an extended period of time have a neighbor check on your home.
• If you have an unoccupied rental property have some check on it in the winter months.
• Disconnect your garden hose and install covers on outside faucets.
• Wrap pipes near exterior walls and in crawl spaces with pipe insulation.
• Supplies are available at your local hardware store for cheap.
• Make sure heating vents are open in all rooms, especially the basement where it is the coldest.
• Consider weather sealing your windows to prevent drafts.
• Insulate outside walls and unheated areas of your home

What to do if your pipes freeze:

• Heat up the pipe with a blow dryer, space heater, heating pad or warm towels until the water can freely flow through the pipe.
• Start thawing it nearest to the faucet. Open the faucet slightly so water can be released as it starts to thaw out.
• To see these tips check out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6psHn2iBO9U

What to do if the pipe bursts:

• Locate your water shut off valve and turn off the main water supply. This will prevent water from continuing to pour out. View more info. on how to shut your water off here: http://blogsbynikiramirez.blogspot.com/2015/01/get-your-water-shutoff-valve-does.htm

• Call a plumber to come out to fix the pipe. Clean up services will not be performed until the source of the issue has been fixed.
• Contact your insurance agent to notify them of your loss. Your agent can verify your coverage before a claim is filed. You do not want to call the 1-800 number and file a claim if you do not have coverage because it will count against you even though no money was ever paid out.
• Contact Rainbow International at 708-460 911 to assist with the water damage clean up. If you have coverage Rainbow can assist you in filing the claim. As a policy holder you have the right to choose whom ever you want to service your loss. We can still provide service if you are uninsured though you are required to pay for service out of pocket.
• Take pictures of the damage if it will be some time before your insurance adjuster can get out to inspect your property. Too often thousands of people all over are reported claims at the same time (frozen pipes in the winter or flooding in the summer). This may cause a delay in the time that an adjuster can inspect your claim.
• Relax. Rainbow International is certified in property damage restoration and will work with your insurance company to in order to fully restore your home back to pre-loss condition.

Rainbow is a 24/7 property damage restoration company.

We provide service on week days and weekends to mitigate your loss. Rainbow will also provides emergency service after normal business hours to mitigate your loss if it occurs in the middle of the night. Free inspections/quotes are only provided during normal business hours (8am-4pm) during the week (M-F). Contact our service line at 708-460-0911 for assistance.

View pictures of Rainbow International’s work on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rainbow-International-of-South-West-Suburbs/211496272371049?ref=hl