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Will Homeowners Ins Cover Leaks Inside Wall Damage From Fireplace Flashing

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Bluefavorite

Active Member
What is the name of your state?KY
Seriously having issues with my home. My drywall is cracking in linear seams. 20 ft ceiling and I JUST noticed a tiny brown spot beside my moulding in my ceiling. The only thing there is a pre fab fireplace that I only burned in about 9 years ago. I think there may be a leak around the flashing.
If so, is that my problem or if water is found to br leaking inside my walls which will and or is causing me to have to get a contractor to fix my wall, is that an ins issue? If leaking it is small as no bubbled paint or wet drywall.

Last year a pipe in my bathroom wall burst and was an ins issue that they paid for all new bathroom, bedroom carpet and crawl space drying out. And I know well what drywall looks like with a lot of water under, unfortunately. But a small leak, I am unsure.
 


quincy

Senior Member
What is the name of your state?KY
Seriously having issues with my home. My drywall is cracking in linear seams. 20 ft ceiling and I JUST noticed a tiny brown spot beside my moulding in my ceiling. The only thing there is a pre fab fireplace that I only burned in about 9 years ago. I think there may be a leak around the flashing.
If so, is that my problem or if water is found to br leaking inside my walls which will and or is causing me to have to get a contractor to fix my wall, is that an ins issue? If leaking it is small as no bubbled paint or wet drywall.

Last year a pipe in my bathroom wall burst and was an ins issue that they paid for all new bathroom, bedroom carpet and crawl space drying out. And I know well what drywall looks like with a lot of water under, unfortunately. But a small leak, I am unsure.
I suggest you read over your homeowners policy first, and then report any home damage to your insurer.
 

adjusterjack

Senior Member
But a small leak, I am unsure.
Make sure you tell the adjuster that you noticed this after a recent rain. There is no exclusion in the dwelling structure coverage for water intrusion through walls, windows, etc.

The damage to walls should be covered, unless your company uses a proprietary policy that is different from the standard HO-3.

Understand, though, that without reading your policy, I'm not making any guarantees.
 

adjusterjack

Senior Member
I think going the inspection route first might be preferable to reporting a problem to the insurer first.
Agree.

Might also consider paying for the repairs without notifying insurance, if the cost is reasonable.

A second claim in two years might get a huge increase in rates, or a non-renewal. Then replacing the insurance with two claims won't be cheap.
 

Bluefavorite

Active Member
Make sure you tell the adjuster that you noticed this after a recent rain. There is no exclusion in the dwelling structure coverage for water intrusion through walls, windows, etc.

The damage to walls should be covered, unless your company uses a proprietary policy that is different from the standard HO-3.

Understand, though, that without reading your policy, I'm not making any guarantees.
Well I did not notice it after a rain. I noticed it on a sunny day because my walls are almost black and the sun light coming in highlighted the cracks, I looked and..noticed the stain. My policy is hard to understand. I should just call them after the contractor comes. They can tell me where it is from. I have clay soil and all homea here are built on hills. It is an HOA and to get landscaping or french drainage I have to get their approval. But that is thr next step as I have a crack in my basement floor and one day my YARD separated!!! All the water from a huge hill washes under my deck like a creek. My neighbor had to have the creek moved (I have a geology degree so I do understand those things) and yeah...the creek always wants to flood back to the original meander!! Creek is a few yards from me.
 

Bluefavorite

Active Member
Agree.

Might also consider paying for the repairs without notifying insurance, if the cost is reasonable.

A second claim in two years might get a huge increase in rates, or a non-renewal. Then replacing the insurance with two claims won't be cheap.
Yeah I am not worried. The rate hike is likely less than the job! Contractors are expensive. I have had 2 claims already. One was from a person running off the road, hitting my mail box, trying to get away but they cracked my drive and the concrete prevented them from running. We are about to refi with a new local bank and get out of escrow anyway and have more control over the insurance as well.
 

quincy

Senior Member
Well I did not notice it after a rain. I noticed it on a sunny day because my walls are almost black and the sun light coming in highlighted the cracks, I looked and..noticed the stain. My policy is hard to understand. I should just call them after the contractor comes. They can tell me where it is from. I have clay soil and all homea here are built on hills. It is an HOA and to get landscaping or french drainage I have to get their approval. But that is thr next step as I have a crack in my basement floor and one day my YARD separated!!! All the water from a huge hill washes under my deck like a creek. My neighbor had to have the creek moved (I have a geology degree so I do understand those things) and yeah...the creek always wants to flood back to the original meander!! Creek is a few yards from me.
If a neighbor uphill from you diverted the natural flow of an existing creek and this change in the natural flow of water is what caused damage to your property, you could have a claim to pursue against your neighbor.
 

adjusterjack

Senior Member
All the water from a huge hill washes under my deck like a creek. My neighbor had to have the creek moved (I have a geology degree so I do understand those things) and yeah...the creek always wants to flood back to the original meander!! Creek is a few yards from me.
You should have flood insurance because damage due to flood and surface water is not covered by the standard HO policy.
 

Bluefavorite

Active Member
Please re-read the terms and conditions of use for this site. You might want to clean up your language. Thanks.
No thanks..
People must think my home is a submarine if a leak on the ceiling on a 20 ft tall ceiling is from a creek up a hill from my home which is not possible. I knew scientific literacy was terrible. As a geologist, almost any geologist would have a XX reaction, as it is warranted. And I THINK inunderstand structural geology and IF a neighbor had an engineering company change a creek that would affect MY home, I would have a lawyer.
 
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quincy

Senior Member
... that is thr next step as I have a crack in my basement floor and one day my YARD separated!!!All the water from a huge hill washes under my deck like a creek. My neighbor had to have the creek moved (I have a geology degree so I do understand those things) and yeah...the creek always wants to flood back to the original meander!! Creek is a few yards from me.
You mentioned problems with your basement and yard, too, hence the reference to the natural flow of the creek water being diverted by your neighbor.

If you lived in a submarine, you would have less of a worry about water damage. ;)

I think we addressed your original question, didn’t we? Your options appear to be to have an inspector out to assess the damage, report any damage to your insurer or, as you seem most inclined to do, have a contractor point out areas of concern and fix any problems then.

What else do you want us to help you with?

(sorry about the bolding)
 
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