Escape of Water
Escape of Water: The Hidden Threat to Your Property
Water escaping from damaged or leaking pipes within your property's fixed plumbing system is one of the most common and potentially devastating causes of insurance claims. Unlike burst pipes, these leaks often start small and hidden – beneath floors, behind walls, or under sinks – silently causing extensive damage to the structure, finishes, and safety of your home or business.
Why Hidden Leaks Are So Serious:
Extensive Hidden Damage: Water easily travels along joists, pipes, and cavities. What appears as a small damp patch can mask severe structural damage, rotting timbers, ruined insulation, and electrical hazards lurking out of sight.
Rapid Escalation: As seen in the video, even a small leak can destroy multiple rooms in weeks. Undetected leaks worsen over time, significantly increasing repair costs.
Secondary Damage: Prolonged dampness inevitably leads to mould growth, which poses serious health risks and requires costly remediation.
Compromised Safety & Habitability: Structural weakening, electrical risks, and mould can make your property unsafe or uninhabitable.
Don't Ignore the Warning Signs:
Early detection is critical to minimise damage. Be vigilant for these tell-tale signs of a hidden leak:
Flooring Issues: Buckling, warping, cracking, or loosening of tiles, floorboards, or laminates; damp patches or staining on carpets; warping/discolouration of skirting boards or architraves.
Wall & Ceiling Problems: Damp patches, staining, flaking, bubbling, or crumbling of low-level plaster; unexplained blistering paint or wallpaper.
Damp & Odours: Persistent musty, damp smells, especially in specific areas like under sinks or cupboards.
Plumbing System Changes: A constant, unexplained drop in pressure on your mains-fed cold water system.
Heating Problems: Hot water losing heat unusually quickly or failing to heat; radiators not heating properly despite bleeding.
Unexplained Sounds: Hissing or dripping sounds within walls or floors.
Meter Clues: Your water meter running when no water is being used (check by turning off all taps/appliances and observing the meter).
Why CMS Loss Assessors Are Your Essential Partner:
Facing escape of water damage is stressful. Insurance claims for complex, hidden water damage require specific expertise to ensure the full extent is uncovered and properly valued. This is where CMS makes the critical difference:
Uncovering the True Extent: Our expert loss assessors possess the technical knowledge and tools (like thermal imaging and moisture meters commonly needed) to find hidden damage, trace leaks back to their source, and accurately assess the impact on your property's structure and finishes. We see what others miss.
Preventing Long-Term Issues: We understand the risks of secondary damage like mould and structural decay. Our assessment ensures the scope of repairs addresses all damage, protecting your property's long-term value and safety.
Expert Claims Handling & Negotiation: We manage your entire claim from start to finish. We handle the complex paperwork, liaise directly with your insurer's loss adjuster, and fight tenaciously to secure the comprehensive settlement you need for proper repairs. Your focus should be on your well-being; ours is on your claim.
Coordinating Essential Services: We can organise specialist leak detection teams to pinpoint the source quickly and reputable restoration contractors to carry out thorough drying and remediation, preventing further damage and mould growth. We oversee this process to ensure quality.
Personalised Support: You get dedicated, local support throughout the entire process. We explain everything clearly, answer your questions promptly, and ensure your interests are always prioritised.
Suspect a Leak? Act Fast!
The longer a leak remains undetected, the worse the damage becomes. Don't risk the safety, value, and habitability of your Northern Ireland property.