This homeowner found us by searching for a public adjuster in my area. So what prompted them to search for a public adjuster. Simple, they smelled something strange. Actually their bathroom smelled like old socks. Having been through the whole home insurance thing before they knew better than to leave the situation up to they insurance agent. One call to Fox Public Adjusters and a short while later we were there handling the situation. As it turned out, a wax ring that seals the toilet disintegrated causing some serious damage. Read below to learn more, and how you can prevent home water damage in your home.
A case study from a South Florida public adjuster.
When home damage happens calling a public adjuster is the smartest thing a homeowner could do. In this example of a small leak gone bad, the damage claim was extensive. Often leaks like this are simply cleaned up, and left and ignored until mold growth starts. How does this happen? This happens when an overworked insurance adjuster rushes through the claim process, or tells the homeowner, they have no claim because the cost of clean up is less than the deductible. In both cases, the homeowner, is left to sponge up the water and hope the hidden moisture under the floor water dries on it’s own. However, this is never the case, water trapped in an enclosed area, usually doesn’t dry. Do you know what does happen? Mold starts to grow.
If this sounds like a familiar situation and your insurance company isn’t taking action. It’s time to call a public adjuster.
If your searching for a public adjuster in your area call us at (561) 789-4369 We serve all of South Florida including: West Palm Beach, Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, Lake Worth, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Boca Raton, Wellington, Pompano Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Deerfield Beach, Stuart and Port St. Lucie.
Why Leaking Toilets are bad
Water damage can have catastrophic effects on the appearance of your home. It can lead to severe damages that might lead to high repair costs. One of the common causes of water damage in homes today is leaking toilets.
A few months ago, after a leak inspection, a client opened up to me that her husband was going to be very unhappy with her due to the repair costs that she was about to stump up for. Her husband worked away for weeks at a time and he liked to keep on top of her about the bills and being vigilant for leaks and anything out of the ordinary. For a long time water has been seeping from the toilet but she thought it was the kids that constantly spilled water on the floor. In actual fact, water on the toilet floor is a serious indication that there is a leak in your toilet. It’s easy for water around a toilet to be ignored. The problem here is that the leaking water has traveled inside the walls, pooled in the ceiling and caused extensive damage. When the homeowner realized there was a problem they ran a online search for public adjuster in our area. That is when they found us. From past experience this homeowner new that calling a public adjuster was the smartest idea. As a public adjuster, we work for the homeowner and NOT the company insurance company. Using our special moisturizer detector we found that the water had found it’s way inside the homes walls.
Looking for a public adjuster in my area? If your area is Palm Beach County, Martin County or Broward County, calling Fox Public Adjusters is your best decision.
A leaking toilet does not just waste several gallons of water making your water bill skyrocket, it can also cause other issues. When repairs to leaking toilets are delayed, it can lead to plumbing problems that are serious and can in the long run become hazardous to the health. However, if you do not know that there is a leak, how can you solve the problem? Apart from your toilet exhibiting different signs that include an uncomfortable noise when flushing, here is how to know if your toilet is leaking.
How to Detect a Leaking Toilet
There are several different ways that a homeowner could determine if there is a true toilet water leak or if the water around a toilet is from something else.
- Pencil Test
This is the most simple and inexpensive way to detect if your toilet has a leak. Draw a line on the waterline on the insides of the water tank, turn the water supply off and wait for about half an hour. If the level of the water level drops under the line drawn, then your flush valve that is at the center of the toilet tank has a leak.
- Dye test
One of the common methods to look for a toilet leak is to conduct the dye test. A simple dye test can be purchased from a plumbing or water company. It comes in form of tablets and can be either red or blue. All you need to do is place one tablet into the tank and wait for about 10 minutes. If you see a color in the bowl, then you have a leak.
- Water Leak Sensor
A water leak sensor can also be used to know if you have a leaking toilet. They are cheap and are good for detecting leaks. These water sensors will alert you immediately the toilet is leaking by beaming a red light and a bleeping tone. If there is no leak, the light will be green.
Why is a Toilet Leak Dangerous?
It is very important to solve the problem of a leaking toilet as soon as it is discovered because it has several risks associated with it. Let us talk about a few of the dangers of a toilet leak.
- Health Issues
Dirty water-making puddles in your toilet because of a leak are unhygienic. The spill of this unclean water can ultimately give rise to the formation of bacteria and fungi, attracting a whole host of medical problems such as a compromised immune system. In addition, if there is a pool of water on your floor, it can also increase the risk of someone slipping on the wet floor leading to serious physical injuries (especially any older members of the house).
Check out this article on the health problems associated with mold and water damage. Mold removal and your health.
- Property Damage
This is one of the major problems that all leaks cause. From leaving unwanted stains on your toilet bowl to tiles to causing the formation of mold on your walls due to constant dripping of water, a leaking toilet can adversely cause damages to your property. It can also weaken the structure of the foundation, which can attract other risks.
BELOW: In a water damage situation, it’s the hidden moisture that causes the largest problem. Often a company insurance adjuster will tell the homeowner to soak up the water and let nature dry the remaining moisture. The problem with this “If you don’t see it, there is no problem” type of thinking is the fact that moisture turns into mold in only a day or two. Working as a public adjuster in South Florida, we know that a responsible insurance adjuster should look further. The picture below is a imaging photo taken with one of our specialized infrared cameras. Looking at our infrared image, you can see how the moisture traveled inside the homes wall beams downward to the floor.
- Extreme Water Bills
No one likes to attract high bills or pay for an amenity that they are not using; a leaking toilet will make you do both. Waters wasted through leaking toilets can make you pay high water bills. Once the water bill for your home suddenly gets tripled or doubled, you need to pay attention to your toilet because you might have a leak.
- Negative Impact on Environment
Water is the most vital natural resource; it serves diverse purposes and gives our existence different advantages. In all parts of the world, there are plenty of advocates for the conservation of water. In addition, water wastage can also have a great disadvantage on our ecosystem. Read here for more information on how water wastage can damage the environment: Waste Water and the Environment
As the saying goes ‘a stitch in time, saves nine’, it is important that you err on the side of caution once you notice any sign of a toilet leak. Delaying the repair can result in further damages that can cost you thousands of dollars in medical bills, water bills, and even restoration work. By searching the internet for a public adjuster in my area you will find that hiring a public adjuster in South Florida is the smartest move you can make. We sincerely hope that your first call is to us at Fox Public Adjusters (561) 789-4369. We serve all of South Florida including Palm Beach County, Martin County and Broward County.