Appliance leaks tend to start behind or under something. A washer hose can split while you're at work, a dishwasher can seep under cabinets for weeks, and a water heater tank can let go all at once. By the time anyone sees water, it has often moved under the flooring and into the bottom of the walls.
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Cabinets and floors are where the cost adds up. Particleboard cabinet bases swell fast, and water trapped under laminate or vinyl plank can't dry on its own. Quick extraction and drying is often the difference between drying those materials and replacing them.
Water category:Category 1 from supply lines; Category 2 from washer or dishwasher drain water
Step 1
Moisture meters and a thermal camera show how far the water spread under floors and cabinets and into the next room.
Step 2
Water is pulled from carpet, pad, and from under floating floors so it stops wicking into the walls.
Step 3
Toe kicks may come off to dry under cabinets, and floor-drying mats can pull water out of hardwood.
Step 4
Dehumidifiers and air movers run until wood, drywall, and subfloor read dry.
Step 5
Photos, readings, and an itemized estimate are prepared for your adjuster.
Local notes
If your water heater sits in a garage, a closet, or the crawl space, a slow leak can go unnoticed for weeks. Check the base and the drain pan when you change the HVAC filter. If it's leaking, close the cold-water valve on top and shut off the gas or the breaker before you call.
Insurance
A sudden appliance leak is generally covered as sudden and accidental discharge, minus your deductible. The failed appliance itself usually isn't. Slow leaks that went on for weeks are often excluded, which is one more reason to get the damage documented right away.
Read the Georgia water damage insurance guideNo honest company can price this over the phone. These are the things the crew measures on site. Read the full cost guide.
Get a crew out to inspect it
An IICRC-certified crew measures the damage, explains the scope, and documents it for your insurer. You decide whether to go ahead.
(470) 305-6747Or estimate your drying scope firstIf it failed suddenly, the water damage usually is, minus your deductible. The water heater itself usually isn't. A slow drip that rotted the floor over months is often excluded, so report it and get photos as soon as you find it.
Sometimes. Floating floors trap water underneath, so they often have to be lifted to dry the subfloor. Boards that have swollen at the edges usually can't be saved. Hardwood nailed to the subfloor has a better chance if drying starts quickly.
Rust at the base, water in the drain pan, a damp spot on the floor, or rumbling and popping sounds are all signs to call a plumber. Replacing a tank before it fails costs far less than drying the rooms around it.
