Do you have water damage inside your home after an ice or snow storm? Having difficulty locating the source of the water leak?
The culprit may be an ice dam.
What is an ice dam, you ask?
Basically, an ice dam is a large barrier of ice that has formed at the edge of your roof.
When the snow on the upper part of your roof melts, that water travels down your roof, but instead of draining off your roof, it is stopped by a barrier of ice. The water that is trapped by the ice dam may have had nowhere to go except into your home. In many instances, water gets trapped in the insulation in a wall or it migrates down and under the floors in your home.
What to do:
If you have noticed water damage inside your home, it is not in your best interest to pretend it didn't happen or try to dry out affected materials yourself. This may cause secondary damage and secondary damage is a huge no-no in the insurance world.
You should have an assessment completed and focus on getting affected materials dried out or removed by a professional. Calling a contractor to assess the damage and guide you in your next steps is a good idea. I have found that contractors don't usually charge for an assessment. We don't. A contractor can also help you determine if you should file an insurance claim. Make sure you choose a contractor who has experience working with insurance claims.
- Documentation is always important. Especially if you end up needing to file a homeowners insurance claim.
Take photos of your roof from the ground and the damage to your home. If you cannot do this safely, wait for a professional.
- Go ahead and locate your homeowners insurance policy. This will have your deductible amount listed. You can also call your local insurance agency for this information. Click
here for information about deductibles. We recommend waiting until after that assessment to call in a claim. If the contractor estimates the repairs to be right at or below your deductible amount, it is not in your best interest to file a claim. Your local insurance agency can explain why. Click
here to find an explanation of the difference between a local insurance agency and an insurance company. You will find this information toward the bottom of the page.
Good news: It is likely that no actual damage has taken place to your roof.
More good news: Water damage due to an ice dam is usually covered by home insurance companies.
One More Helpful Link:
Click here to check out this Travelers Insurance information regarding ice dams and how to remove them.
This blog absolutely doesn't cover every aspect of dealing with home water damage due to an ice dam but I believe it can be a good start. Hope all goes well for you!
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