When we think of water damage to our homes, we often think of water coming in from the outside due to excessive rain or flooding, but non-weather water damage is more common than you might think. A surprising one in five homes experience water damage each year causing $13 billion in damage. Since the water to the home must be shut off during repairs in most cases, people with water damage claims often must relocate for weeks or months which can be extremely inconvenient.

What causes water damage and how can we help prevent it? Common causes of water damage include the failure of heating and air conditioning systems, water heaters, appliances, valves, pipes, and plumbing fixtures. Worse yet, water damage can often go unnoticed for extended periods of time because pipes are hidden in walls or appliances are housed in closets or basements. The longer it takes to notice the problem, the more damage the water will cause. Frequent inspections of appliances, caulking around fixtures such as bathtubs and exposed plumbing will help you find issues before they become serious. Many times, you can make small repairs to save the hassle of a large claim.

As always, it is better to know what type of coverage you have available before you have a claim, so check with your agent to make sure you have adequate water damage coverage.