How Do Water Leak Detection Systems Operate?

Water damage in Conroe Texas

When most people think about the cause of water damage, they think of an overflowing appliance or a broken water supply pipe. Unfortunately, much of the damage sustained in homes and buildings is caused by leaks that are difficult to detect and exist for a long time before they are discovered.

In these circumstances, finding the source of the leak is the key concern. Fortunately, there are a number of leak detection devices available today that can alert homeowners of a leak. These devices are very useful in preventing ongoing damage that could require expensive water damage repair.

What Is The Function of Leak Detection Systems?

Leak detection systems alert whenever the presence of moisture outside of a pipe or appliance is detected. They are designed to prevent damage to the surrounding area and reduce water waste. They are two types available: passive and active, both of which works in a slightly different way. These inexpensive alert systems can be invaluable in preventing the extensive water damage that slow, undetected leaks can cause over time.

How Do They Work?

Both passive and active leak detection systems identify the presence of water in basically the same way. These systems have sensors that sound an alarm if they become wet or detect high moisture levels that suggest a leak could be nearby. The sensors are electrical probes that react whenever they come in direct contact with water or if condensation is detected.

Since they are sensitive to both condensation and actual water, detectors will alert as long as they are positioned close to a source of moisture and mounted to the wall or set on the floor. When a leak is detected, the system sounds a loud alert and will do so for up to 72 hours. These simple, yet effective alerts are very useful in preventing the type of damage that could require water damage repair.

Passive and Active Systems

The main difference between passive and active leak detection systems is that a passive unit only alerts to the presence of a leak that could cause water damage, while an active system can actually stop the leak. Active systems include shutoff valves that are mounted in an appliance hose or other water feed that will shut off automatically when the alert sounds.

Different System Types

Besides the main difference of passive or active detection, a homeowner can purchase leak monitoring systems that prevent the need for water damage repair in a number of ways. They are available as battery-operated units that can monitor a room such as a basement or bathroom. Other units can be set up near water-using appliances, water heaters, pipes, fish tanks, or other suspect areas.

There are also whole-house, hardwired systems that integrate multiple sensors run by a single control panel. Many whole-house systems can be connected to home security systems for an added degree of damage prevention.

One of the easiest and least expensive ways to prevent costly water damage in a home is with leak detection monitors. Whether used individually next to water using appliances and other susceptible areas or as a whole-house system, these detectors alert if there is water where it should not be. Alerted homeowners can then promptly resolve the leak before it makes any kind of water damage repair necessary!

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Water Damage From An Insurance Viewpoint!

Water Damage in Conroe Texas

Every year, many homeowners experience costly water damage in their homes in a number of different ways. Property owners can generally file a claim with their insurance company for this type of property destruction, depending upon how it occurred and what perils their homeowners policy covers.

For any perils not automatically covered on a policy, homeowners can usually add a rider so that water damage repair is covered regardless of how the damage occurs. Insurance companies compensate for this damage when it is classified under one of the four perils listed below.

Seepage and Leakage Insurance

Seepage and leakage are defined as slow leaks and drips that cause a significant amount of water damage over time that requires repair. Small, slow leaks and seepage can go undetected for months or even years; once the issues are finally discovered, there may be considerable damage to walls, floors, ceilings, and even support structures.

These small leaks usually occur in the plumbing due to loose fittings or minute cracks as well as with any appliances or fixtures that use or fill with water such as water heaters, dishwashers, bathtubs, etc.

Backup and Overflow Insurance

A plumbing backup can happen for a variety of reasons and in a number of places. The most serious backups occur when an overfull or malfunctioning septic system cannot accept any more water and the drain pipes and toilets overflow as a result. Homes that are hooked up to a public sewer system can experience a backup as well. This may happen during a heavy rainfall if the sewers flood.

Homes with sump pumps may also experience floods due to backups. Backups and overflows of the septic or sewer system are health hazards that require professional water damage repair by an experienced company to ensure the safe removal of all harmful bacteria and pathogens.

Sudden and Accidental Water Insurance

When something really unexpected happens, like a broken appliance, burst pipe, or even a huge fish tank cracking and spilling everywhere, insurance companies consider this to be a sudden and accidental event. Unfortunately, some of these sudden and accidental events can cause a tremendous amount of water damage in a home depending on what broke and how much water spilled out as a result.

Foundation Water Damage Insurance

The last category of water damage that homeowners insurance usually covers, if it is included on the policy, is foundation damage caused by water. This can occur in a number of different ways, including as a side result of the above three categories. Foundation water damage repair can be very costly as well, so this is an important peril to include on a home insurance policy in case of such an emergency.

These four categories encompass all the various types of water damage that can occur in a home for many reasons. Yet it is important that homeowners check their policies to specifically determine whether they are covered for all of these perils. Some policies may only compensate for water damage repair under certain circumstances. To avoid having to spend out-of-pocket money for a large water repair bill when it is least expected, homeowners should ensure that all four of these perils are included on their policies!

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What Are The Types of Water And Resulting Water Damage?

Water damage in Conroe Texas

Water is essential for sustaining life. Unfortunately, the movement or leakage of that water can also cause costly damage to homes and businesses, as well as health issues in people and animals. When this happens, a need exists for water damage repair done by experts who understand that there are different categories of water, each requiring a its own level of cleanup and restoration.

To better understand the concerns and risks associated with various types of water damage, property owners must know the following three water categories and the degree of destruction and contamination they can cause.

Category 1 - Clean Water

Clean water is clear from the source and fit for human consumption or use, without any notable risks. Water damage from this type of water usually occurs as a result of a burst supply pipe; rain, ice, or snow that leaks into a building; broken toilets or tanks; faucets or other fixtures; or sinks and tubs that have overflowed. It is important to understand that while this liquid is considered to be clean when a leak first begins, the category could change to gray or black afterwards.

Any interaction with chemicals present in building materials, carpeting, flooring, and other items can cause contamination so that it becomes more of a health issue and requires more extensive water damage repair efforts. Heat tends to increase the chance of microorganism growth as does time, further increasing the risk associated with Category 1 damage.

Category 2 - Gray Water

Gray water comes from mostly clean sources that could contain microorganisms or potentially harmful pathogens, so it cannot be considered clean. Examples of sources of Category 2 water damage include overflowed dishwashers or washing machines that were in the process of cleaning a load; overflowed toilets with only urine inside them; sump pump failures; aquarium leaks; and similar sources.

Any treatment with chemicals, bath products, home cleaning agents, or other additives is also considered as contamination, presenting a Category 2 health risk of possible illness or injury.

Category 3 - Black Water

Black water is the most damaging and most likely to cause health concerns in people and animals. This water is very contaminated with either chemicals that can cause serious harm, pathogens, or microorganisms that can cause serious illness or even death.

Considered to be both unsanitary and unsafe, some sources of Category 3 damage include overflowed toilets containing feces or any backflow from behind the trap; sewage; windblown rain that is forced through roofing or building materials; groundwater containing soil, silt, or other contaminants that is pooled or forced through foundations; storm surges; and any amount of fluid over a few inches that sits on the ground for any length of time.

Due to the nature of this damage that poses both health and environmental threats, Category 3 damage requires the most intensive water damage repair.

Water damage can pose a higher or lower amount of a risk and require different levels of repair based on the type that is present. Dealing with this damage requires much more than simply mopping it up. Getting the right water damage repair means working with a company that can correctly identify the source of the damage, classify the the proper water group, and then provide the necessary cleaning and restoration services!

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