After heavy rain, you notice traces of moisture on the ceilings or walls at roof level.
Owner or tenant, you must react quickly to repair the waterproofing of the roof and prevent the damage from getting worse.
Let's look at how to react and how your insurer can help you resolve the problem as quickly as possible.
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Take the first steps and limit the damage from a water leak
If a roof repair is not carried out quickly, the damage will worsen and the material consequences will become more and more serious.
Water can in fact cause rotting of the framework and seriously damage insulation boards, paints and parquet floors.
The development of mold can also be harmful to health.
Left untreated, a roof leak always ends up causing water damage in the home.
React as soon as you notice a water leak, probably coming from the roof:
Take care of your own safety and that of your home by possibly cutting the electrical circuit if there is a leak on a wall.
Protect your furniture and objects by keeping them away from water and protecting them from humidity.
install basins and mops
Do not take the risk of falling by climbing onto the roof but call a competent professional equipped for this type of intervention.
Contact your insurer without delay with as much information as possible, description of the damage and preferably with supporting photos as well as climatic information: violent thunderstorm, storm, snowfall, etc.
if you are a tenant, contact the owner-lessor or the property manager
Do not undertake repairs yourself without the agreement of your insurer
Identify the cause of the roof leak
You yourself can look for traces of humidity that you may not have paid attention to: humidity stains on a beam, a floor, traces of mold on a ceiling or other signs of a lack of waterproofing. the cover.
A qualified craftsman can intervene urgently, for example to place a tarpaulin on the roof or replace a few tiles.
In other cases, a professional, who may be mandated by the insurance company, carries out an external diagnosis of the leak.
This systematic examination of the roof makes it possible to note the damage, quantify the amount of work to be carried out and establish a quote.
When you have obtained insurance approval, the roofer will be able to repair the roof and replace leaky or damaged elements, such as tile joints, windows, gutters, etc.
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Determine the cause of the water infiltration or leak
The cause of the water damage or the cause of the loss will determine whether or not the loss is covered by insurance, depending on the extent of the guarantees that you have taken out.
In fact, the water leak and infiltration may have been caused by:
A climatic event such as a severe thunderstorm or storm with winds greater than 100 km/h, or snow or hail.
If you have taken it out, the “weather event” or “storm” guarantee of your home insurance then covers the costs resulting from such events.
A natural disaster may be the cause of the disaster, such as a flood, a tornado, etc., the consequences of which will be covered by your home insurance if an interministerial decree noting the state of natural disaster has been published in the Official Journal. .
This decree specifies the municipalities affected by the expressly named climatic event and its date.
A lack of maintenance or dilapidation can be the cause of water damage.
You have not cleaned the gutters, maintained or removed moss from your roof or have not repaired a previous leak that has gotten worse.
Tenant or owner, you will assume the financial consequences because this simple maintenance work is your responsibility.
Heavy, structural work, however, is the responsibility of the owner or trustee.
Negligence, if you left a roof window open on a rainy or snowy day, can also cause serious damage for which you will nevertheless be solely responsible for the cost to the extent that the loss is due to your sole oversight.
The roof leak or infiltration may be the result of a construction defect, poor workmanship and the repair costs may be covered by the ten-year guarantee engaging the professional liability of the builder only if the construction was completed less than 10 years old.
What are the deadlines for insurance compensation in the event of a roof leak?
If you have taken out comprehensive home insurance, the consequences of the loss: repair work on ceilings, paints, floors, electrical installations, furniture or objects damaged or out of order following the infiltration of roof can be compensated, according to the terms of the contract signed.
In general, a deductible is applied and compensation takes into account the coefficient of obsolescence or wear.
Also check if your insurance covers the costs relating to leak detection work following water damage.
If the guarantee in your contract actually covers the damage, your insurer will offer you compensation within 3 months of receipt of the expert report.
On the other hand, repairing the cause of the loss is not covered by insurance and remains your responsibility unless it is covered by a specific guarantee such as a climatic event or a natural disaster.