While for most states November is a rather dry month where rain turns to snow, Florida continues to experience downpours throughout the month. While South Florida homes are typically built to sustain the constant rains that fall throughout the year, these older houses that were built throughout the 80s and 90s tend to be more susceptible to home damage due to general aging and wear & tear. As the years go on, you may discover suddenly that your home has been struck by water damage that’s severely impacting your quality of life. Left untreated and water damage can cause significant damage to your home, belongings, and even your health. Before panicking at the sight of water damage, it’s important to figure out what caused it and where it’s coming from so you can make an accurate claim to your insurance provider. Some of the most common causes for water damage in your home include:
Rainstorms
As mentioned above, Floridians (and South Floridians in particular) are no strangers to the seemingly random rainstorms that can pop up at a moment’s notice. Ranging from a few seconds to hours on end, sustained rains can find their way through cracks in your roof and throughout your home. Left unnoticed and untreated, and you have a ceiling ready to burst any second. If you see cracks in your ceiling form and a drip begin, it’s time to immediately contact your insurance provider and roof repairman to get it resolved, before you’re suffering from water damage and roof damage.
Tropical Storms and Hurricanes
Akin to typical rainstorms, tropical storms and hurricanes pass through Florida each year between June and November bringing heavy rainfalls and winds from the Atlantic. These winds and rains can cause damage throughout your home, shattering glass, broken fences, and even tearing up your roof. Depending on the category of hurricane, homeowners could be facing devastating damage to their homes if left unprotected. Even brand new homes can face serious damage following a hurricane. As they slowly churn overhead, these storms can dump what seems like an endless amount of rain over your home, pounding your roof and the rest of your home alike.
Flooding
Typically, when South Floridians face heavy rains, they also have to face the flooding that comes with it. While most South Florida homes are built on an elevated platform or stilts to avoid it, outdoor flooding can still potentially make its way into your home. In fact, flooding doesn’t even need to be caused by forces from outside your home—it can come from inside your home too. Malfunctioning appliances can leave water and soap everywhere, damaging everything in its vicinity. Old pipes that burst can cause rapid flooding in the local area of the burst, damaging anything in the surrounding area. Burst pipes underneath your floorboards will tend to rise upwards through tiny cracks, and ones in your walls can cause a steady stream of water to continuously damage the wall itself. If left untreated, this stagnant water, along with South Florida’s humidity, creates the perfect breeding ground for mold spores to form. This house mold damage can lead to serious health concerns that should be addressed immediately.
If you’ve spotted water damage in your home, you should immediately make a claim with your insurance provider and a repair team to get it taken care of as soon as possible. However, you need to make a third call to Barclays Public Adjusters. While your insurance provider wants to assist you in recovering from this situation, they have their own financial goals in mind. Don’t get taken advantage of and get the claim amount you deserve. Our team of specialized South Florida public adjusters will work on your behalf with your insurance provider to get you the fairest claim amount possible. Made a water damage claim for your home recently? Call us today at (866) 724-4473 to learn how we can assist you!