My Pipes Burst! Now What?

Many Kentuckians, as well as more than half of the country, were hit with a frigid arctic storm over the holiday weekend. You wanted a white Christmas? You got it! 

Along with that pretty snow, we have had many clients filing claims due to car accidents. We’ve also filed claims for homeowners for water damage, mainly due to frozen pipes bursting.

Here are some pointers in dealing with burst pipes and water damage in your home. 

• Turn off the main water supply to your house. 
• Do anything and everything you can do to mitigate the damage. What does mitigate mean?
  1. to cause to become less harsh or hostile : mollify. 
  2. to make less severe or painful : alleviate. 
  3. to lessen the seriousness of : extenuate.
• Contact your insurance agent to discuss your home policy and see what coverage is available to you. Your renter’s policy should have some coverage for this situation too. Keep in mind the amount of your deductible, especially if there isn’t much damage. 
• With an event of this magnitude, it will take the insurance company’s claims representative longer to respond than usual, as they are working with dozens if not hundreds of clients. Do what you need to do to protect your family and your property.
• Take pictures of the damaged areas of your home. This is an occasion where more is more. Be thorough! 
• If you need to purchase items, get a hotel room, or other items due to the claim situation, keep all of your receipts and records. Also, keep any parts. For example, if a plumber comes to repair the pipe and cuts out a section, keep it in a box for the adjuster – just in case.

https://www.thisoldhouse.com/plumbing/21133681/how-a-frozen-pipe-bursts

https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/winter-storm/frozen-pipes.html