Water damage. Please help me.

[themavinator]

Hello there.

3 days ago, I found that the carpet right next to the ensuite bathroom was damp wet.

I did not use water for a while and checked the water meter. The water meter did not move. I think it means no water leaks.

After shower, I checked the carpet and it seemed not getting wet. So I think waterproof it ok.

What I guess is...
That night we had some rains. And next day rain stoppes. When it rains the carpet gets wet(damp). When the rains stops, the carpet gets being dried.
So I am worrying that there might have some cracks or damage on the footing??

I feel like water is smearing to the carpet from the floor.

My house is 5yrs old so I contacted the builder but the warranty has expired. I called insurance and they cover the damage only (such as carpet).

Can anyone please help me what I can do?
Whom do I need to contact? Plumber? Renovation company? Anyone else?

Can plumber fix this type of problem? ( If not related to the pipes, water leak... the footing might have some problem or waterpoof seals need to be done??)

 

[themavinator]

Hello there.

3 days ago, I found that the carpet right next to the ensuite bathroom was damp wet.

I did not use water for a while and checked the water meter. The water meter did not move. I think it means no water leaks.

After shower, I checked the carpet and it seemed not getting wet. So I think waterproof it ok.

What I guess is...
That night we had some rains. And next day rain stoppes. When it rains the carpet gets wet(damp). When the rains stops, the carpet gets being dried.
So I am worrying that there might have some cracks or damage on the footing??

I feel like water is smearing to the carpet from the floor.

My house is 5yrs old so I contacted the builder but the warranty has expired. I called insurance and they cover the damage only (such as carpet).

Can anyone please help me what I can do?
Whom do I need to contact? Plumber? Renovation company? Anyone else?

Can plumber fix this type of problem? ( If not related to the pipes, water leak... the footing might have some problem or waterpoof seals need to be done??)

I have no idea what to do. I have asked friends and neighbors but got no answers. Thank you.

 

[CT18]

If it is getting wet only when it rains check the vent pipe going out the roof. It may be running down that and dripping in the area that is wet.

 

[dmmsr]

Check outside next to the house. Look for the grading to see if it is sloping away from the house. Do you have storm drains underground or just rain leaders?

 

[Geofd]

Make sure your down spouts are away from the house and check and make sure your gutters are clean

 

[frontporch]

I also suspect the vent through the roof. They typically seal with a flashing that has a rubber seal that fails over time from exposure to the elements. 5 years is pretty quick but new home builders cut costs by using cheaper products. Good news is they make plastic covers that can be placed over the stack to eliminate leaks

 

[CameronWartz]

I'm sorry to hear about the water damage in your home; that sounds like a major hassle. While I can't speak from personal experience in San Diego, I've heard that finding a reliable water damage restoration service is crucial.

 

[Ed O'Connell]

Great advice from above, AND, once the problem is solved, be thorough with water damage mitigation. Mold can cause many health problems.

 

[cgilley]

First off, this is not a catastrophe. Even wet carpet is not the end of the world. This gets files under "welcome to home ownership." it won't be the last time it happens either (all the plumbers here will know about polybutylene). The odd thing is that the insurance company will pay for the damages (I had the pipes break three times) but they won't help to replace the plumbing.

Okay, so let's talk insurance first. The fact that you called them has put you into the national database. Do not make small claims on your homeowners policy. If you get a water damage specialist out, I will double damn guarantee they will find huge amounts of damage. They will literally destroy your house to maximize the claim, so you have to stay in control.

First thing to do is to find the source. Pull back the carpet and wait for rain. Watch . You have to find the source of the water which sounds external. So, check your gutters, and the next time it rains, go outside and check your drainage around the house. If you have a drainage issue, then watch some youtube and re-grade the yard around the back door. Take a video of the drainage as well.

Comment about the rubber boot idea - 5 years is a little early, but decent roofers have boxes of donuts that fit these vent pipes. I had an issue a few years ago, and the roofer just slapped it on for free. Also check your flashing, etc. Builders are not always precise. Worse, they use different subs and most are poor at management (I have a story about a patio slab poured over the top of the septic tank...).

Above all, don't panic.

 

[cgilley]

I want to elaborate on "First off, this is not a catastrophe. "

I know some of you plumbers have worked with insurance companies, so you'll probably get this. Background story: I can be a real jerk, mostly from ignorance. But I'll willingly feed you, help you change a tire, and I just belive all people are good and have common sense. You may now clean your computer screens - yeah, that's me.

So in the late 90s, I woke up to a weird sound in the house. At the time, I have 9 kids in the house and 4 toddlers, so our sonar was on at all times. My eyes opened, and as this crap always happens, my wife sat up and said, "What's that sound?" Mind you, if we heard diapers crinkling (dippers - spell check is getting worse and worse) crinkling at 2am, one of us was chasing the critter down. The only worse phase was "hon, what's that dripping noise?" But though it happened not germane to the story.

So, I got up and went to the stairwell where there was a roaring noise and steam coming up. Turns out the hot water line in the kitchen launched... got that taken care of...

The next morning I called my insurance company told them I had lost a hot water line, water everywhere, and what completely shocked me, "Have you stopped the leak?" Me: "Of course I stopped the leak! wtf?" She explained later that some clients just let the water run.

I'm such a noob.

As for all of the mold concerns, etc - if the water got under the sheetrock, just pull the sheetrock, let it dry and then spray it with anything that kills mold and mildew. Let it dry. Fix sheetrock. Sheetrock is a mess but it is cheap.

OP - do us a favor and keep us posted.

 

[sawsaw]

Due to sharply rising costs, I suggest using extreme caution when contemplating filing a claim! I hope your agent is a good one, with whom you can discuss your issue, prior to filing. Today's companies are under duress from all the claims being paid. They are bleeding! If you simply mentionto them you are considering filing, they could count that as a claim and deny any more. Very touchy! Many are not accepting new home insurance policies. Tread cautiously!

 

[cgilley]

Due to sharply rising costs, I suggest using extreme caution when contemplating filing a claim! I hope your agent is a good one, with whom you can discuss your issue, prior to filing. Today's companies are under duress from all the claims being paid. They are bleeding! If you simply mentionto them you are considering filing, they could count that as a claim and deny any more. Very touchy! Many are not accepting new home insurance policies. Tread cautiously!

sawsaw sounds paranoid, but he's not far from the truth. The biggest problem are the hi risk states where the states are "controlling" costs. Some larger companies, for example, have completely pulled out of Florida and the Gulf states. These companies are not guilt free either. It's a mess.

I worked for a company years ago whose business model was to supply aggregate claims data to insurers. For example, when State Farm hits a renewal cycle for everyone born in July, they will submit a name and state list to this company. The company then sorts the request by state, breaking the data up into per-state files where it is sent to each state's DMV. Data comes back from each state, it's all put back together and driver reports are returned to State Farm. What's interesting is that years ago, insurance companies also added your credit score to their underwriting process (which I find abhorrent), as apparently people with low credit scores have crazy driving habits.

They do this for home owners as well. 20 years ago, I know for a fact that if you called your insurance company to discuss filing a claim, the request went into another database. So, be slow to pull the trigger on thinkgin about a claim.

Second suggestion: if you get contractors out there to look into the problem, they will ask if insurance is involved. You can bet they will raise their prices accordingly. Always remember the golden rule of home ownership: You get the equity, but you own all of the problems. It's your job to get it fixed. The limit of the insurance companies care and understanding is your policy. They will defend that cash to the death. Don't be cowed. Same rule for contractors - I'd make it clear that you are withholding the final 10-20% (you have to make it worth their while to finish the job). 5% is not enough.

Third suggestion: if it looks like you are going into disaster mode (the leak has done far more damage than known) consider getting a 3rd party estimator involved. Friend of mine had a rental property that had a housefire (I know I would rather have a water leak). They have all of their rental properties, their own homes and vehicles covered by the same company. First offer came in to repair at 45k. A damage consultant got involved, and when he was done with the insurance company the repair bill was over 150k. And it took every penny of that.

Best of luck.

 

[sawsaw]

I didn’t want to expound on the home insurance dilemma from my cell. Too laborious for me! Thanks cg for picking up there! For more clarity, it isn’t always “bad” insurance companies. Currently, re: home insurance, MN insurance companies are bleeding $1.50 in claims for every dollar they take in...

 

[cgilley]

Valid point sawsaw. TANSTAAFL. I know people with water leaks (broken pipes) that have gone on vacation to max out the claim which in my mind is basically theft. On the other hand, my past home owners insurance (USAA) would rather have spent 75k in claims than help me with replacing pb plumbing. I had 8 kids in the house at the time, so scratching together 6k to get that done made no sense. What is nice is that I see insurance companies are willing to get a bit more proactive. USAA offered a good deal on pathetic water leak detection (they were honeywell sensors, and they were the biggest CF I've ever seen).

INMHO, insurance companies could really help their bottom line if they would just think. You get a discount on your car for ABS, why not for a leak detection system in your house? Also, all new homes should be wired for fire detection and theft. It's cheap. The problme is that they are mostly stuck in their old out-of-date mortality analysis of their claim model. Blah blah, I type a lot

 

[sawsaw]

My insurance company’s matketing direction does include discounts. For instance, a 10% discount for attending a driver’s safety class once every three years. Also, about a $60 discount for installing a Ring or other type camera at the front door. Plus, others. That is American Family. They have done well by me!