A water damage inspection aims to identify every area of your home affected by water and assess how much structural damage there is. This assessment includes wet ceilings and water-soaked insulation or ductwork. An inspector will determine what's causing the water and try to stop the flow.
Discovering water damage can be a bit tricky. Thankfully, home inspectors know what signs to look out for, such as cracks, warped floors, stains, musty odors, peeling paint, and plumbing issues. Each issue is dutifully noted and reported to you before closing on your new home.
Water quality testing is a specialized but simple test that checks a home's water supply for contaminants and pollutants, such as chlorine, lead, and coliform bacteria. Testing can also reveal chemical imbalances of the pH, and other attributes, such as hardness.
If a house has a latent history of constant water damage occurring, that could cause a property to face its largest reduction in value, approximately 7.3 percent of its overall value.
Take steps to protect your health and safety when reentering your flooded home. When returning to a home that's been flooded after natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods, be aware that your house may be contaminated with mold or sewage, which can cause health risks for your family.
Sometimes water damage is covered by a standard homeowners insurance policy, and sometimes it isn't. It all depends on what caused the damage in the first place. In general terms, water damage that is considered “sudden and accidental” will most likely be covered by your homeowners policy.
How long does the inspection take? A typical inspection normally takes 1 ½ to 2 hours, and we run the water for up to an hour as needed. The inspection may take longer if we have to located and excavate the septic cover or covers, and can depend on weather and snow cover.
How Much Does a Well Inspection Cost? An average well inspection ranges from $300 to $500. This depends on the inspector's rates as well as the type of water tests they intend to conduct to check water quality. It also depends on whether they provide a septic inspection as well.
In most states, requesting a well inspection is the responsibility of the buyer. And as a buyer, you won't want to skip the inspection. Getting a well inspection before you purchase a home can save you a lot of time, energy, and money.
Water damage can be the most expensive of all the major issues a home inspection may encounter because it can cause so much damage.
If the inspection precedes any purchase agreement, or you have an inspection contingency, these dealbreakers may be enough for you to walk away: Health hazards: If a home inspection uncovers health hazards such as asbestos, lead paint or other toxic substances, you may want to rethink your purchase.
Common Home Inspection Deal-Breakers
Inspectors look for curling, broken, or missing shingles, which may indicate the need for repair or replacement. Rotten wood, uneven areas, or water stains inside the house could point to deeper issues, like leaks or poor installation.
Are you worried water damage will turn buyers off from looking at your home? Many homeowners experience some form of water damage to their property, so breathe a sigh of relief. Most buyers in the market will understand, especially if you've taken the proper steps to fix the problem.
The inspection report serves as a contingency in the sale contract. If there are any significant issues, this contingency gives you a chance to back out of the sale. You will likely not incur any penalties if you do so within a specific duration, except for any earnest money already provided.
Some counties offer free well water testing, so check with your county first. If they don't, use this EPA website to find a list of state-certified laboratories in your area that do water testing, or contact your county or state health department or your State Certification Officer for assistance.
A typical well inspection takes 1–2 hours.
The inspector should return a detailed well inspection report of all their findings within 1–3 days, though you may have to wait longer for your water test results.
A well inspection costs $250 to $550, depending on the well type, depth, and age and whether the inspection includes water testing. Laboratory well water testing alone costs $100 to $350 on average.
Plumbing – The plumbing inspection includes a check for visible leaks, functioning faucets, shower heads and toilets, and to ensure the exposed pipes are not damaged or dangerously outdated.
As a general rule water damage cleanup will usually be complete within 7 to 14 days and rebuild will be concluded anywhere from 1 to 4 months.
According to Doityourself.com, the most obvious place for signs of water damage is on your walls and ceilings. If the paint is cracking or there are visible stains, the inspector will note that there has been a leak. If left unchecked, mold can grow, causing dangerous health issues.
Reasons for denial can range from the nature of the damage itself—such as gradual damage that occurred over time—to issues with how the claim was filed, including missed deadlines or insufficient documentation. Furthermore, unreported property modifications can also lead to complications during the claims process.
If the damage is sudden, accidental, and comes from inside your home, you're typically protected with a standard homeowners insurance policy. However, you typically won't be covered if the water damage is caused by outside flooding or a neglected repair.
So, does homeowners insurance go up after a claim? Absolutely, but now you know why and how. You've learned that the type of claim matters—water damage or theft could hike your rates more than others. You understand filing multiple claims might not only raise costs but also risk policy renewal.