5 questions to help you prevent water damage in your home

Internal water damage accounts for 45% of all interior property damage, happening more often than fire or burglary. Yet, less than 20% of homeowners say they have implemented even one water risk mitigation best practice, according to a recent survey by Chubb.

While the survey showed that roughly nine in 10 homeowners say they are confident in their ability to handle maintenance issues and check for possible damage in their own homes – including plumbing and equipment issues that can cause internal water damage – confidence doesn’t necessarily mean action when it comes to protecting their most important asset.

There are several hurdles that prevent homeowners from implementing necessary actions to prevent water damage, including the investment of time and money. One of the most important barriers, however, is a lack of knowledge around which products and tools to purchase. Learn more about water damage in your home—where it can happen, and how you can prevent it—with these five questions.

If you have, you’re a step ahead of most – and well on your way to maintaining a dry, comfortable home. Surprisingly, only 9% of those surveyed have installed a water leak detection device, which can identify leaks early on and either notify you or shut off the water supply to prevent major damage.

Probably more than you think. While half of all homeowners believe that damage from a plumbing or appliance water leak will cost less than $5,000, Chubb’s average cost for water leak claims is in fact more than $55,000 and the average water back-up loss for homeowners is almost $45,000.

If you have, that’s great. The surest way to prevent a water leak is to keep your appliances in good order and inspect them periodically to make sure there are no issues. However, only 19% of homeowners periodically check their appliance hoses, 19% check home heating systems, and 16% have maintenance done on their water heater.

Plumbing supply systems are the number one cause of non-weather-related losses. That means your kitchen, bathrooms, and laundry room, and the pipes that connect them to the water supply, definitely warrant a little extra attention.

If you are, you’re not alone. A full 67% of homeowners said they would definitely or probably undergo a renovation or improvement project over the next 12 months. This is an excellent time to install home protection devices, such as water shut-off systems.

For more information on the survey or to download the full results, visit Chubb Homeowner’s Risk Survey.