Most plumbing contractors do a good job when working on plumbing issues in homes and businesses. However, there are times when a poor job by a plumbing contractor causes water damage on your property. You should always be aware of which type of water damage a plumber can be liable for so if it happens to you, you can reach out to your insurance company and get the proper compensation for the damage.

Some examples of work that a contractor can do to cause water damage in your home include:

• Rushing a roof job and causing badly installed shingles which results in a roof that leaks.
• HVAC contractor missing pinholes in your air conditioner drip pan causing water to seep through the ceiling.
• Improperly connecting the dishwasher’s intake hose and causing a leak.
• Installing equipment improperly and causing water damage.
• Causing an accident in a home that causes water damage.
• Inadequately reconnecting pipes leading to leaks.
• Dropping tools in a bath and causing it to crack.

If a plumber is found responsible for the damage they caused, they may also be held responsible for the costs associated with the damage or accident such as the cost of a hotel where the customer would stay until their home is repaired.

Most homeowner’s insurance companies do cover cleanup, repair, and restoration of your home after water damage. However, you should always check with your insurance company first to see what type of water damage is covered. Most insurance policies do cover damages if they’ve resulted from the contractor’s work.

Situations in which a contractor cannot be held liable for the damage to the customer’s home include:

• If the homeowner used malfunctioning equipment improperly or in a way that it is not to be used.
• The plumbing that was installed by the plumbing contractor has malfunctioned due to normal wear and tear.
• Pipes that were installed by the plumbing contractor burst due to freezing.
• Malfunction of the equipment due to manufacturer error as long as the plumbing contractor was not aware of the error.

Handling Damage Caused by a Contractor

If you experience damage because of a contractor, figure out the water source first and make sure that the affected areas are safe. These are the steps to follow:

1. Call your insurance company

Make sure to call your insurance agent and explain the issue you are having due to the contractor’s error. Give your insurance the contractor’s contact information.

2. Reach out to the contractor

Call the contractor and let them know that you’ve talked to your insurance. Ask them to reach out to their insurance as well.

3. Don’t clean everything up

Make sure that you do not do a full cleanup of the issue until your insurance adjustor and restoration contractor have come out to assess the extent of the water damage to your property.

Protecting Yourself When Hiring Contractors

There are some things you can do as a homeowner to protect yourself from contractors who’ve created water damage to your property. Some of these include:

• Check the contractor’s reputation before hiring them. This can be done online or through word of mouth if they were referred to you through a neighbor or a friend.
• Make sure that they have contractor liability insurance and workman’s compensation insurance.
• Verify their information via the Better Business Bureau and the state licensing board.
• Make sure that you look through your homeowner’s insurance at least yearly and update any coverage you feel is necessary.
• Work only with experienced restoration contractors who know how the insurance claims process works.

If you’ve had water damage due to an error by a contractor, make sure to call a water damage restoration professional. These professionals help homes and businesses that have experienced plumbing issues due to burst pipes, appliance leaks, sewage issues or even natural disasters. They make sure that the damage is addressed quickly so that you can avoid further damage and mold growth. Once water seeps into porous materials it can cause further damage to these materials. Building materials such as drywall and wood can get soaked and become structurally unstable.

Technicians experienced in water mitigation and can handle any type of water damage. They will extract the water, clean, and dry the area and then fully restore it. They have the proper equipment and tools to handle your water damage disaster. Specialized drying equipment is used to dry your space quickly and efficiently. Once the drying process is complete, they will make sure to restore all salvageable materials and remove the ones that are not.

About Vince Sandri

Vince Sandri is a content writer and blogger with more than 12 years of experience. His expertise is in creating content related to disaster restoration, including information about preventing and reacting to natural disasters like flooding, water damage, fire and smoke damage, mold growth, storm damage and more.
Vince has been the main contributor to RestorationMasterFinder.com since 2014. Over that time, he has written numerous service pages and blogs for disaster restoration providers featured on RestorationMasterFinder.com. Vince has done extensive research and covered a wide range of topics relating to disaster restoration to help homeowners, business owners, and property managers better protect their property. He understands the problems that disasters like flooding, fire, smoke, and mold can cause as well as the best ways to respond to these issues to limit the damage.
Vince completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Aurora University and his master’s degree at DePaul University. He has been writing SEO website pages, blogs, and press releases since 2012. Vince is also a musician and can be seen playing in the Chicago, IL area.