Water damage can lead to mold growth, structural damage, and ruined items. Learn eight common causes of water damage and how to fix them.
What to Do if a Plumber Caused Water Damage in Your Home
When your pipe dream becomes a nightmare
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Water damage caused by a contractor signals you need immediate action, starting with shutting off your water main or individual fixture to stop the leak.
Document the damage with photos showing all affected areas, then contact another plumber to inspect and confirm the original plumber's work caused the issue.
Your plumber is liable for repair costs, so request payment directly from them using written estimates from water damage restoration companies you choose.
Hiring a local water damage restoration professional provides reliable help with drying, repairing damaged materials, and completing the restoration work your home needs.
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When you call in a plumber to fix an issue, the last thing you expect is an even worse issue in its place—but, unfortunately, it does happen. If a plumber caused water damage to your home, there are a few things you need to do to get a timely resolution that doesn’t end up costing you more money.
1. Mitigate the Damage
Your first order of business is to mitigate the water damage, and you can do this by shutting the water in your home to stop the leak. If the water is coming from a single fixture, try shutting off the speedy valve that supplies water to that fixture. If that doesn’t work, head to your water main and shut the valve there. The water main is usually in the crawl space or basement or in a utility closet.
Once the water is off, dry out the area as best you can if it’s safe to do so. Start by removing puddles with a shop vacuum, drying the area with towels, and running a blower fan for 24 to 72 hours.
2. Document the Damage
Once you’ve stopped the leak from worsening, you should take photos of the damage. If possible, take pictures of the plumbing lines in the walls where the leak is coming from. Make sure you also get multiple angles showing all of the damaged building materials, including drywall, insulation, flooring, and cabinetry. Note what type of water damage you believe it is, as well.
3. Contact Another Plumber for an Inspection
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Next, reach out to another local plumber to complete an inspection of the damage. They can confirm whether or not the original plumber’s negligence is what caused the damage in the first place.
4. Notify Your Plumber
Your plumber is liable for damages caused by their actions, so your next step will be to let the original plumber know about the issue. Take a calm approach to the conversation and remain as objective as you can. It may be difficult not to let the conversation get heated, but do your best to stay neutral, as confrontation can only make matters worse.
Your plumber will likely ask to come look at the damage. You can let them do so, and you can share the results from your third-party inspection, as well.
5. Notify Your Insurance Company
Contact your insurance company to report the damages, and send over any documentation you have, including photos and your plumbing inspection report. This is an important step even if you don’t end up filing a claim, as you’ll establish a paper trail in case you run into any related damage in the future that does lead you to file a claim.
6. Get Repair Estimates
Contact at least two water damage restoration companies near you to write up estimates for the necessary repairs. Get a third estimate if those two aren’t within 10% of each other.
7. Ask Your Plumber to Pay for the Damages
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Since your plumber is liable for any damages they cause, contact your plumber and ask them to pay for the repairs using the water damage restoration costs quoted in your estimate. Your plumber may offer to complete the repairs themselves or hire a company they’re familiar with, but it’s best to insist on hiring a water damage restoration company you choose.
8. File an Insurance Claim or Take Legal Action
If your plumber refuses to pay for the repairs and get the water damage restoration process underway, you can file a claim against their liability insurance. Ideally, you’ll have their insurance information available before you hire them. Your homeowner’s insurance provider may be able to help you file the claim. Another more extreme option is to hire a lawyer and take legal action to sue for the damages.
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Water and smoke damage repairs reviews from real Angi homeowners in Columbus, OH
4.8★ avg. • 2 total reviews
- Julio V.
Positive experience. As previously stated, the replacement/repair could not be completed (no fault of the plumbing tech) b/c misinformation was rec?d by property management maintenance. Thanks to the plumbing tech for your efforts. Appreciate you!
The Waterworks - Brent C.
Carpet repair done well. Scheduling was easy. Showed up on time.
BR Flooring Installation - Mike Z.
As usual with ECO, tech Jordan was outstanding, very professional, very knowledgeable, and very thorough with repairs made to tankless water heaters. Very highly recommend ECO!!!
Eco Plumbers, Electricians, and HVAC Technicians - Austin Y.
I would recommend this company to anyone! He showed up on time, was friendly, completed a very difficult repair on our dryer vent cover, was responsive, and pricing was extremely fair and competitive. I would have him back to do any of our repairs or cleanings without hesitation!
U.S.A. Dryer Vent, LLC - Micki B.
Everything from initial contact to completion was absolutely top notch. We contacted the business during off hours to leave a message, and the owner still reached out to feel out the issue within minutes. We were scheduled and repaired within 48 hours. I cannot say enough about the...
Supreme brick & chimney - Donald L.
Ace Fireplace Services came to the rescue for my chimney repair. They were quick to pinpoint the issue and worked their magic to fix it. My chimney is now in excellent shape, and I'm a satisfied customer.
Ace Fireplace Services - Lisa S.
On Sunday 2/26 I requested quotes via Angi from 4 refrigerator repair businesses. Northwest Appliance responded to me Monday morning (2/27) and my refrigerator was repaired by noon the same day. Great communication, they did everything they said they would. The technician had the parts on...
- Angie M.
When we had the winter freeze, I called Quantum Waterworks Waterline & Drain Cleaning Services and within 1 hour I received an e-mail and he sent someone out the next day and he was on time, he was nice and did the job quickly and cleaned up after himself. We had a leak in our kitchen from...
Quantum Waterworks Waterline & Drain Cleaning Services, LLC - Heather M.
On time, clean and finished fast. Windows seem sturdy and the finish is good. Caulking was done with no smudges. Would recommend.
Window Depot USA of Central Ohio - Michael S.
Did a great job replacing the ice maker and water regulator on my refrigerator. He was quick and thorough, very friendly and professional. If I needed a heart transplant I'd want him to do it!!!
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