My Home Ireland

Posted by myhome on October 5th, 2007 in House Insurance

A large number of householders in Ireland  have been affected by damage caused by water leaks at some time . The damage is usually caused by washing machines, showers, burst pipes, leaking baths, dishwashers and burst water tanks. It’s also be caused by human error, such as leaving water to overflow when filling up baths and sinks.

Tips to avoid water damage:

• Regularly check your pipes and appliances to find any potential weak spots.
  When switching off taps, avoid over-tightening which can weaken washers and cause leaks. (
  Ensure pipes are well insulated to protect them from frost damage. (
  Don’t leave your central heating off for long periods during winter. When you go on holiday, use a timer to make sure the heating is on during colder periods of the day.
• Always go with a reputable tradesman. 
  Similarly, don’t carry out plumbing jobs yourself unless you’re qualified plumber. (
  Don’t get the water damage fixed without approval from your insurer, or it probably won’t reimburse you.
• Your home insurance is not a maintenance contract. The insurer covers you for damage caused by escaping water. However, if, for example, a leak occurs because you failed to keep pipes or drains clean, or because you failed to have your boiler regularly serviced, those pipes, drains or boilers won’t be repaired by the insurer. Only the damage caused by the water is covered. So maintain your water fittings!
• To resolve emergencies, you can buy home emergency cover which will cover temporary repairs for some of these things. It’s important to read the exclusions though; for example, plumbing problems related to radiators are covered, but the radiators themselves aren’t, nor is the cost of replacing parts damaged due to wear and tear. And there are many more exclusions where that came from!
• Damage caused by water to the building is covered under buildings insurance and damage to contents under contents insurance, so make sure you have the insurances you need.