Not Filing Water Damage Claims May Equal Big Mold Trouble

Water damage in your home. It's a nightmare that no one wishes to experience. Now compound that catastrophe with higher property and casualty insurance rates and an inflationary economy and the question begs, is this a necessary home repair? Years ago, the answer would be a resounding yes but with budgets so tight some home owners are considering foregoing the cost and hoping for the best. Other home owners are justifiably terrified of their C.L.U.E. report and a raised deductible. I'm not talking about water damage stemming from a broken water heater or extreme weather related disaster such as flooding. The situation you most likely will run into is a small sink leak or overflowing toilet and though you may think a few towels or some fans may solve the immediate problem, you may not have considered the larger, future ramifications of...mold.

After discovering water damage in your home, your first thoughts may gravitate towards your homeowner's policy and your deductible. Immediately after that, more painful visions of your insurance premiums increasing. But these thoughts pale in comparison to the future nightmare that mold will provide.

Mold damage can easily occur within walls, ceilings, cabinets, carpets, underneath sinks, attics, basements and floors without being noticed for years. The cost of mold removal by a professional can easily reach up to $6,000 depending on how pervasive the damage, the time involved, and the environment - humidity, moisture, dark spaces, etc. So that $1,000 water remediation job you were unwilling to pay for will now cost you 6x that amount.

Health issues. Mold can cause infinitely more than just structural damage. Hidden mold in your home can make you and your family sick. Mold inflames the pulmonary system and can cause serious medical conditions such as chronic lung infections and cancer. Common complications that often arise are asthmatic conditions, wheezing, nasal stuffiness, eye irritation, wheezing, or skin rashes. Your increasing allergic symptoms? Mold. If you feel your allergies worsening over a period of time it is a good indicator that there is mold in your home.

The best and only method to assure you don't have to deal with the expensive and detrimental future problems of mold in your home is to quickly and effectively ascertain the extent of the water damage to your home by calling a professional. Deciding not to file a claim due to the immediate cost that you may incur may ultimately hurt you financially and medically in the future. The damage may be far worst than you think. And remember, mold does not materialize from only extreme weather events like flooding, more often mold damage surfaces from a slow, constant leak over time. The small cost of solving the problem immediately will greatly outweigh the large future penalties to your wallet and health.


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