In short, no. A home warranty does not cover water damage itself. However, a home warranty can cover many causes of water damage. Addressing the causes of water damage can help you save time and money in the long run. Water damage can cause mold and in the worst cases can harm your house’s foundation.
To help you better understand how to deal with water damage and how a home warranty might help, we’ll look at four key themes:
- Common causes of water damage in a home a home warranty can address
- Ways a home warranty can help address causes of water damage
- Common causes of water damage in a home a home warranty won’t address
- Reasons a home warranty plan might not cover water damage repair
Common causes for water damage in a home a home warranty can address
There are countless causes of water damage. Extreme weather, backed-up sewer lines, pipe bursts, and more can cause damage. It’s important for you to know, as a diligent homeowner, which causes of water damage a home warranty can address.
Here are some of the most common causes of water damage in a home that a home warranty can address. While this list isn’t comprehensive, it can give you an idea for what a home warranty from 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty (2-10 HBW) can cover.
- Leaking or burst pipes: A leaking or burst pipe is one of the most common causes of water damage. Changes in temperature, lack of insulation, or routine wear and tear are often the underlying causes. Look for leaks or drips from faucets, leaking or overflowing toilets, and water around showers and tubs. They could be a sign of a bigger issue that you can’t see. In many cases, a home warranty covers leaking or burst pipes.
- Worn or faulty appliances: Your hot water tank, washing machine, refrigerator, and dishwasher are common household appliances that can cause water damage. This usually happens because the hoses and pipes attached to the appliances weaken and crack. A home warranty can address these sources of damage. But again, a home warranty will not cover the water damage itself.
- Roof leaks: As an added option, a home warranty from 2-10 HBW can cover certain roof leaks. However, like all home warranty coverage, the leak must be the result of routine wear and tear. Additionally, roof leak coverage applies to the roof over your home’s living area. So, if there’s a leak over the garage, a home warranty protection plan wouldn’t apply.
- Certain toilet problems: A home warranty protection plan can cover certain problems with toilets. For instance, if you were to have trouble with your toilet’s tank, bowl, tank assembly parts, flange, or wax ring seals, a home warranty can likely help you. But things like toilet overflows caused by sewer line clogs fall outside a home warranty’s coverage.
How a home warranty can help address causes of water damage
A home warranty can offer you the peace of mind of knowing that when a major appliance or home system breaks down due to normal wear and tear, your home warranty can help you repair or replace that item.
When it comes to water damage, it bears repeating: A home warranty will not cover the cost of the water damage itself. A home warranty plan can protect your home by addressing some of the most common causes of water damage.
Here are some of the items that a home warranty from 2-10 HBW can cover:
- Your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system (HVAC)
- Electrical system and plumbing system
- Refrigerator, dishwasher, and water heater
- Ceilings fans
A key benefit of having a home warranty is that instead of avoiding a problem because it might be too costly to repair, you can call your warranty provider and solve that issue before it grows.
For example, if a pipe burst in your home and you noticed damage, your home warranty coverage can help. If the pipe burst due to normal wear and tear, 2-10 HBW could help you repair or replace the pipes for the cost of a relatively small Service Fee. While 2-10 HBW wouldn’t cover or address the water damage itself, 2-10 HBW would mitigate the cause of this problem in this case.
Common causes for water damage in a home a home warranty won’t address
Here are a few causes of water damage a home warranty doesn’t cover:
- Clogged rain gutters: Leaves and debris can quickly accumulate in your gutters. This can cause pooling, leading to damage. Your home warranty would not cover this cause of water damage. However, we have tips on how to clean and maintain your home’s gutters.
- Sewage backups: A home warranty likely won’t cover sewer backups.
- Weather-related water damage: Damage that occurs due to weather does not fall under home warranty coverage. Instead, that may fall under your homeowners insurance. Read more about why having homeowners insurance and a home warranty is a good idea.
Reasons home warranty coverage may not cover water damage repairs
When you invest in a home warranty plan, you are investing in an affordable yearly warranty that offsets the upfront expense of repairing or replacing systems and appliances in your home.
There are reasons for when a home warranty does not apply, and this is largely based on the reason for the damage.
For example, if you neglected your plumbing system and it caused the water damage, then your warranty company will determine that it did not break down due to normal wear and tear and instead it broke down due to neglect. In this scenario, you would have to reach out to your homeowners insurance to see if you have any coverage or foot the bill yourself.
When purchasing a warranty plan, recognize the warranty is not supposed to offer comparable or overlapping coverage with your home insurance plan. Instead, your home insurance covers you for when the structural and integral aspects of your home were damaged because of an accident, environmental disaster, or Act of God.
Choosing a home warranty company
A home warranty could save you thousands of dollars in the repair and/or replacement of your home’s appliances and major systems. That’s why it’s important to find the right warranty plan that works for your home.
If you are concerned about future water damage, you can consider the following items when choosing a warranty:
- Do they offer comprehensive coverage for your plumbing system?
- Is there any specific maintenance that appliances like your washing machine, water heater, or sump pump need to have in order to be considered well-maintained?
- What happens when water damage occurs to an item covered under the home warranty but it was because of another issue that would fall under insurance coverage?
- When does an insurance or manufacturers warranty apply instead of the home warranty?
- What are the limits of home insurance and how will a home warranty cover those gaps?
2-10 HBW offers the most comprehensive home warranty coverage for homeowners. Let us help you protect your home.
