Austin Fire and Flood

What Is the Difference Between Flood Damage and Water Damage?

Water damage occurs when internal issues within the house lead to the spread of water across the property. Plumbing mishaps are the most common causes of water damage. Homeowners often need water damage restoration to remedy the situation. Some examples of what qualifies as water damage include:

Dishwasher leaks
Burst pipes
Overflowing toilets
Shower or bathtub leaks
Washing machine leaks
HVAC system leaks
Automated sprinkler system mishaps
Roof leaks

The severity of the damage depends on the type of leak, the location, and how long the leak lasted before drawing the attention of the house occupants. Water damage on an upper-level floor can quickly spread to the rest of the house, damaging property beneath it.

What Is Flood Damage?

Flood damage often occurs following natural disasters that introduce water into the home. During flooding events, natural water bodies rise significantly, overpowering drainage and flood control systems. As a result, homes in affected neighborhoods experience flood damage.

Some of the common causes of flood damage in Georgian Acres, Austin, TX, include the following:

Overflowing water bodies (lakes, rivers, and oceans)
Hurricanes and storms
Rainstorms

Any weather events that trigger a rise in water levels within the area can lead to flooding damage. The ground floor is usually the hardest hit in affected properties.

Keep in mind that flood damage doesn’t include property destruction due to leaks in the roof during standard rainfall or smaller storms. Flood damage typically affects multiple properties or entire neighborhoods.

Flood Damage and Homeowners’ Insurance

Contrary to what some homeowners might believe, homeowners’ insurance doesn’t provide coverage for flood damage. Most policies won’t pay out for natural disasters such as flooding. Property owners living in areas with a high risk of flooding need a separate flood insurance policy to enjoy cover after this natural disaster.

Water Damage and Homeowners’ Insurance

Most homeowners’ insurance policies cover water damage. Insurance providers include water damage in policies because most homeowners will experience the problem at least once over the lifespan of any property.

Depending on the severity of the damage and how long it takes to discover and control the water source, the situation may be minor.

Water Damage and Flood Damage Restoration from Austin Fire and Flood

When flood or water damage occurs, it’s good to hand over the assessment and restoration process to qualified professionals. Ignoring water damage or flooding can lead to ongoing problems in the home, including mold growth, floorboard decay, wall discoloration, and more.

Working with the right water damage restoration team can help reduce the impact of the disaster. Austin Fire and Flood has highly trained and certified technicians who know what to watch for in these scenarios.

They respond immediately, highlighting the impact of the damage and the amount of work required to return your property to its optimum condition. With free inspections for most projects, the technicians will highlight other structural issues in the property.

Call Austin Fire and Flood today at (512) 912-6814 to book an appointment for a flood or water damage restoration project.