Water Damage Restoration After Flooding in Vacant Harwinton Area Homes

12/28/2018 (Permalink)

If your house is vacant because you vacation down South for the winter or are selling your home, be sure to take steps to protect it from water damage

Vacant homes are among the most vulnerable structures to flooding.

Connecticut homes are often left unattended when a homeowner goes on vacation or travels south for the winter. We also receive water damage calls when a home is vacant because it is listed for sale or when the homeowner is deceased and the home is vacant while the estate is being settled. 

During the winter, flooding often occurs due to burst pipes. This can occur for a number of reasons but in vacant homes the culprit is typically that the oil tank runs out.  We've seen this happen even when a home is scheduled to be automatically refilled by the oil company. Errors occur and while typically this would be caught by the homeowner, when the house is vacant it goes unnoticed. 

This results in a substantial amount of water flooding through the home with nobody there to notice it. We were once called by a homeowner who was away and notified of the water damage after their neighbors observed water pouring out from under the front door. Often when pipes burst in vacant homes, the damage is extreme- leaving collapsed ceilings and saturated walls. In addition to burst pipes, we've responded to homes in which water heaters have burst and appliances leaked.

Regardless of the source of the water, there are some precautions that homeowners can take to reduce their risk of damage.

If you are going on a vacation, leave a neighbor a key so that they can check on your home, especially if the temperature dips down into the single digits.

If you winter down South, consider having a family member or property management company care for your home so that missing oil deliveries or a broken oil burner doesn't go unnoticed. 

Homes that are vacant can also be winterized - in which the water is drained from the pipes. The house will go unheated but there is no longer a risk of water damage from frozen pipes, broken appliances or a water heater burst.

Also, be vigilant about oil deliveries and ask your provider to notify you when a delivery occurs. Rather than simply leaving you a slip, request a phone call or email and keep track of the deliveries. This simple step can give you the peace of mind that your home will be dry and as you left it when you return home after the long winter.