Does insurance cover plumbing leaks?

As a local Calgary area plumber, we have received our fair share of emergency calls from panicked homeowners who have woken up to wet basement floors or stumbled upon brown staining starting to appear on their ceiling. Water damage can be costly, unexpected and obtrusive. While we cannot specifically advise on individual insurance policies or coverage, we can share some of the firsthand issues we have dealt with when insurance claims became involved. Hopefully, the stories below will help educate you on the possibilities of plumbing problems that can occur in your home and help you to establish an emergency plan for yourself.

Real-Life Plumbing Emergencies

Mother In Law Woes

These cautionary tales include stories from our family members. The most recent family member to experience extensive water damage was my mother-in-law. I received a call from Cheryl when our daughter was at school. As no birthdays or Christmas planning was in the works, the call was unexpected, as we usually send each other little texts – I love my mother-in-law.

Anyway, when she called that afternoon her first question was if Reece was available. From there I knew we had a problem. Here is what I later discovered. My mother-in-law had woken up, went to her ensuite and when she tried to flush the toilet had no water pressure. At first, she thought it must just be something with the bathroom that she could address later. She proceeded to the main floor kitchen to wash her hands only to find no pressure at the tap. Next, she went to her basement to see if her water main was still on – that is when she felt the water on her feet and heard the spraying. When Cheryl peeked around the corner of her basement door, she saw water spraying from the main water shut-off valve area. She braced for the cold water that began to spray her and went to shut off her main water valve, at least the water would be contained shortly. However, after she reached the foundation wall and got to the shut-off valve she discovered the burst or break was not above the shut-off valve but the water was coming from below the valve.

Somehow the pipe leading into the valve had wiggled its way out and was spraying water continuously throughout her basement. With no way to turn off the water, she had to leave the basement and call the Town of High River to stop the water at the curb. Once the water was stopped, she called us to replace the main water shut-off valve. In my mother-in-law’s case:

• Cheryl had to personally pay for a plumber to make repairs to her water system, including installing a new main water shut-off valve and paying for the costs of having the Town of High River come during emergency hours to shut off and turn the water back on at her home.
• Her insurance covered the water damage to her home’s affected drywall, flooring, carpet and belongings.
• Remediation crews came in to properly repair/ account for the damaged items.

The Toilet Flange Fiasco

Sometimes, a small issue can cause big damage. In one case, our customer had a broken toilet flange, this is the piece of plumbing below your toilet that connects your toilet to the drainage system. The break in the flange allowed water to seep through the floor, leading to severe water damage to the ceiling below and widespread structural issues in surrounding areas.

The homeowner called in our team to fix the flange, but the extensive repairs to the surrounding areas required an insurance claim. This experience emphasized the importance of prompt action to mitigate water damage.

The Winter Trailer Wreck

One unforgettable incident involved my cousin’s trailer during a harsh Alberta winter. While he was away, my Aunt kindly took on the task of keeping an eye on the property. Worried about frozen pipes from lack of use, she decided to leave the bathroom sink tap running slightly to keep the water flowing. Unfortunately, she forgot to remove the sink stopper. When she returned the next day, she found the trailer completely flooded. The water had pooled and frozen, and the repeated freeze-thaw cycles even shifted the trailer on its base. To make matters worse, my cousin had let his home insurance policy lapse, leaving him to face the damage without any coverage. It’s a stark reminder of the importance of both proper preparation and keeping insurance up to date.

Other Common Culprits

We’ve seen it all when it comes to plumbing issues tied to insurance claims, including:

• Burst pipes during freezing winters.
• Leaking Poly B pipes (common in homes built from 1975 to 1997).
• Leaks that go undetected in areas that are not frequently checked such as under basement bathroom cupboards, behind appliances etc.
• Hot water tanks that fail without warning.

Each scenario involves unique challenges, requiring coordination between plumbers, insurance providers, and remediation teams.

How Harper’s Plumbing Helps in Emergencies

When water damage is noticed you can call our team to come address the cause and stop the flow of water if needed. Whether capping water lines, repairing pipes or replacing tanks our team can repair the cause of your water damage. Here is what we offer:

• 24-7 Emergency Response: Our phone line is monitored 24 hours, 7 days a week by the actual team, not a call centre. When you call in you will speak directly to someone from Harper’s Plumbing.
• Diagnosis: We will walk you through what we see on site, with clear explanations. We will also guide you through plan options on repairs, bringing your system back to where it should be.
• Repairs: Our journeyman plumbers will proceed with the agreed-upon repairs.
• Recommendations and Support: Our team not only looks at the immediate concern but will also happily provide recommendations as requested for other areas of your home or other areas of concern that are seen during our visit. We want every customer’s home to be how we would leave our family member’s home – with a clear understanding of any major plumbing issues that we see and peace of mind knowing that they understand what the plumber saw in their home.
• Documentation Support: Detailed reports and professional letters to insurance companies are provided when needed making sure the cause is clearly outlined from our perspective when possible.

Specific Plumbing Challenges

Sometimes living in Canada can come with its own set of plumbing hurdles:

• Freeze-Thaw Cycles: Temperature swings can cause pipes to expand, contract, and eventually crack.
• Hard Water: Mineral buildup from hard water can restrict water flow, strain pipes, and shorten the lifespan of appliances.

Understanding Insurance and Water Damage

From our experience, here are some key points to keep in mind about insurance and plumbing:

• Cause vs. Affected Areas: The cause of the water damage, such as a broken pipe, is up to the homeowner to repair and is not covered under insurance. The resulting affected areas such as drywall are covered. Please note, each policy is different and you should review your specific policy with your broker to ensure you understand your coverage.
• Sudden vs. Gradual Damage: Understand what is your policy would consider long term damage due to neglect versus unseen damage that would be unreasonable to expect someone to notice over time.
• Maintenance Matters: Damage caused by poor maintenance may not be covered.
• Source of Water: Internal water source damage is generally covered, but water damage from external flooding often requires separate flood insurance.
• Sewer Backup: Many policies don’t include this unless you’ve added specific coverage.

Your Plumbing Emergency Action Plan

Just like fire drills when you were in grade school, doing some drills and preparation in advance of water damage can make all the difference when disaster strikes.

Know Your System:

• • Locate your main water shut-off valve — our team can mark this for you during our service visit.
  • Check under cupboards, and behind access panels to locate fixture shut off valves. Knowing how to isolate water in your home when needed can be crucial.

Regular Maintenance:

• • Perform a Spring and Fall inspection of your home, looking for signs of water damage.
  • Ensure your water shut off valves are all operable. Turning them on and off to ensure none have become ceased.
  • Having a system like Flo by Moen on your main water shut off valve is one of the best peace of mind gifts you can give yourself. These systems not only detect water leaks but also changes or increasing pressure on your water lines and can let you know if a pressure-reducing valve is needed on your system. Having a water pressure consistently above 80psi is hard on your water pipes and your fixtures.

Winter Readiness:

• • It is always a great idea to insulate water pipes on exterior walls.
  • Know how to properly shut off outside water lines and insulate for the winter.

Review Coverage:

• • Ensure you understand your home insurance policy. You may have purchased coverage years ago while trying to finalize the purchase contract, waive conditions, hire movers and pack boxes – we get it. Life can be stressful with lots of items to address, and sometimes things can get approved or signed without a full understanding of all the small details. Take the time to review your current policy and make sure it aligns with what coverage you would hope for if disaster strikes.

The Harper’s Plumbing Difference

Plumbing emergencies are stressful. The water is rising, spraying, continuously dripping and it seems like it will never stop. At Harper’s Plumbing, we aim to be more than just your average plumber, we want to treat you like our mother-in-law, or our close family friend. Making sure you understand your plumbing system and have a home you can feel confident in, from knowing how the plumbing is run to understanding potential risks like identifying spots with Poly B or other common plumbing problems.

As for Poly B replacement Calgary you know who to contact. From emergency repairs to preventive maintenance and fixture upgrades, we’re here to keep your homes dry and your plumbing running smoothly. At Harper’s Plumbing, we’re always here to help.