Mold can be very damaging to a home and to your family’s health. It can develop over a long period of time behind walls and under carpeting without providing any indication of its presence. During that time, it can use HVAC systems to spread throughout the home. Over time, it can destroy walls and, in extreme cases, make the home uninhabitable. This scenario can put your home at risk, and the damage can be very costly to overcome.
Will Home Insurance Cover Mold Damage?
Whether or not home insurance covers mold damage depends on a number of factors — including the type of policy you have. Most home insurance policies do not cover mold caused by maintenance problems such as humidity levels, leaking faucets or condensation causes. Your policy also might not cover drainage or landscaping-related mold.
However, in most cases you can be covered for mold that develops from sudden and unavoidable (or accidental) water problems — such as those from a burst pipe, the backup of a sump pump or water damage from a covered flood. It’s important to know your home insurance policy’s rules on flood damage.
How to Prevent Mold
It’s crucial to prevent mold damage from occurring whenever possible.
- Ensure your home’s humidity levels are within the 30 to 50 percent range, which keeps mold risks lower.
- Add insulation to your home to reduce condensation development.
- Inspect your home for leaking pipes, wet or moist walls, appliance hose leaks, sink leaks and other areas where water can cause damage. Make repairs right away to reduce the risk of mold development.
- Use dehumidifiers in areas where flooding does occur, or call a professional water extraction company to properly dry out after a flood.
- Ensure crawlspaces are covered properly to avoid moisture buildup.
Every home has the risk of mold development. With proper precautions and cleaning of any wet surfaces, you can avoid this dangerous substance and protect your home’s value. It’s important to discuss mold coverage with your home insurance provider as well, especially if you believe your home is at a higher risk for developing it. Don’t assume you have coverage for floods and mold development without asking.
We’ll help protect your home and family. Call InsuranceHub at (877) 341-5728 for more information on the home insurance policies we offer.