What Every Homeowner Needs to Know About Home Insurance and Sewer Backups

1/10/2022 (Permalink)

A sewer backup often strikes unexpectedly.

What Every Homeowner Should Know About Sewer Backups and Home Insurance

A sewer backup can be an extremely messy problem for any homeowner in Indian Hill, OH. To further complicate the situation, your home insurance policy may not cover cleanup and restoration costs, forcing you to fund repairs out-of-pocket. Carefully reviewing your current coverage may spare you considerable frustration in the long run.

A Costly Problem

A sewage overflow inside your basement or bathroom is highly unsanitary and can cause significant destruction. Depending on the specific cause of the backup and the extent of the damage, you may face numerous cleanup and repair requirements, such as the following:

• Disinfecting the contaminated area
  
• Removing saturated drywall and insulation
  
• Repairing broken sewage lines
  
• Replacing destroyed personal property
  
  

Without adequate home insurance coverage, these expenses can quickly mount and become extremely costly.

Potential Causes

A sewer backup often strikes unexpectedly. If your community’s storm water and sewer lines converge, your home may be particularly vulnerable, particularly if the area becomes inundated with rainwater that overwhelms the system.

If you are fortunate, you may notice subtle symptoms of a plumbing issue that may cause a sewage backup. Examples of specific signs include consistently slow-flowing drains and a lingering sewer gas odor. If you experience either situation, you may have a clogged or damaged pipe. Contacting a licensed plumber may allow you to resolve the potential issue early, sparing you from a messy sewage cleanup.

Safeguarding Your Home

You can minimize your risk of clogged or broken sewage lines by planting trees and shrubs away from pipes and throwing diapers, feminine hygiene products, wipes and paper towels in the trash instead of your toilet. Installing a back-flow valve can also prevent sewage backups.

However, possibly the most efficient way to safeguard both your home and financial security is to update your home insurance policy to ensure you are adequately covered against a sewer backup. Insurance can be a valuable financial safety net, but insufficient coverage can be extremely costly. If disaster strikes, having both your insurance company and a professional cleanup and restoration team on your side can make all the difference.