After experiencing recent water damage, it is necessary to understand how to write water damaged report for hardwood floors. Whether you already have home insurance coverage or planning to claim one, it will help you get an insurance claim.
Water damage comes in various forms and affects each home construction differently. However, the most vulnerable structure is the floors.
If it is hardwood, it is even more susceptible to suffer from severe damage. Fortunately, there are insurances available to help you with the repair cost, so you will be able to have beautiful flooring once again. To create a report, these are the initial actions you should take and learn what should be included in the claim.
Types Of Water Damage Covered By Insurance
Most home insurance coverage grants water damage problems and helps the homeowners to recover. However, not every water-related incident is included in the provision. There are certain types of water damage that they consider to grant a claim. It comprises water damage from:
- A sudden water discharge
- Storm
- Accidental sewer overflow and backup
- Flood
One of the primary requirements to claim an insurance grant is that the damage should be accidental. Floor damage due to a sudden pipe burst should be considered acceptable, while gradual damage like mold and fungal growth, which happens over time, will not be covered.
However, it would still be better to consult a trusted lawyer to help you find the best insurance suited for your specific concerns. They can also help you understand the additional resulting damage from the incident, such as affected nearby walls. You can get reimbursed for the cost of its repair as long as you include it in the report.
How Does Insurance Coverage Help With Water Damage
Before you begin to request an insurance claim, you have to understand the process first.
1. Take photos
Taking pictures of the problem and the resulting damage from nearby structures will serve as proof. It should be included to allow the insurance company to measure the cost of the compensation you deserve.
2. Agreement on the coverage
You can choose to repair the flooring if you know what to do with water damaged hardwood floors, but it would be best to call for professional help for a specific fixing.
Once the insurance company has agreed with the compensation cost, they will first hire a plumber or a leak detection service to find leaks. Most likely, they will cover the repair of the floor located only on the area affected by the problem and not the entire house structure.
They also cover drying and other specific details included in your policy. They can also refer you to a water damage restoration company to fully control and finish the drying process, replacement, and repair.
You can also try to hire a professional flooring to help fix the water damaged hardwood flooring thoroughly. You can then negotiate with the contractor based on the claim estimate you receive from the insurance company.
How Much Coverage Can You Expect
The amount of the insurance coverage claim varies in different situations and the policy of the provider company. As much as you can, be sure to negotiate for a considerable cost because they care to reduce their cost. Do your research and document the necessary factors for the claim to ensure that you are not being taken advantage of.
It is best to hire a contractor not associated with the insurance provider to get a better service. Understanding the process and your policy will help you get a great deal and full-service provision.
Writing Water Damage Report For Hardwood Floors
To apply for an insurance claim, these are what you should include upon writing and addressing the water damage situation for hardwood floors:
1. Identify the flooring
The first thing that you should mention in the report is the specifications of the affected flooring. It is essential to state the finish, cut, profile, species, and more because it can affect the cost of the repair to be granted by the insurance providers. Aside from these, you should also mention the installation method of the hardwood floor to address the needed repair.
2. Determine the target moisture content
Another thing to include in the report is the target moisture content of the hardwood. This is related to the relative humidity of the geographical area, temperature, and facility. You can refer to the EMC chart for wood to determine what to put in the claim.
3. State the target time of the year for the repair to begin
Granting insurance claims are not done in an instant. Your providers will first determine whether you should be granted or rejected.
The process can also take months to progress, so you must include your target month to start the repair. You should also consider the time to find trusted contractors and the assessment process.
4. Asses HVAC ability to sustain the situation
If you have an HVAC system at home, you have to state its ability to sustain the environment. It can help to prevent further worsening of the damage.
5. Perform moisture testing
To do water testing, these are the steps that you can follow:
- Use dielectric meters to scan the surface of the flooring. This will map the water damage and see the areas with high moisture. To see the difference, you can check the unaffected flooring and compare it with the damaged wood.
- Use hammer probes and insulation pins to measure readings on multiple depths of the flooring and the subfloor.
Remediation
While the claim is in the process, you can perform remedial actions to sustain the damage. These are the things that you can do:
- Open windows and doors to trigger natural drying with airflow
- Using dehumidifiers
- Vacuum extraction
Conclusion
Now that you know how to write water damaged report for hardwood floors, you can now be sure that they will solve your water-related problems in no time. It lessens the burden of the repair cost and would also guarantee that you can bring back the charm of your flooring.