Where water damage starts in Huntsville
North Alabama gets heavy, fast rain: NOAA's engineering weather data for the Huntsville/Madison station lists a 100-year rainfall rate of 3.5 inches per hour. Winter brings a different risk. The station averages about 40 freeze-thaw cycles a year, and a snow event like February 25, 2015, when 5 to 12 inches fell across most of north Alabama, can leave pipes in crawlspaces and exterior walls frozen for days. Then the thaw reveals the leaks. This guide walks through recovery from either kind of water.
Right away
1. Shut off the water at the main valve for any plumbing leak. 2. Turn off power to affected rooms at the breaker if it is safe to reach. Never walk through standing water near outlets or appliances. 3. Get people out of rooms with sagging ceilings. 4. Take photos and video of every wet room, the source of the water and damaged belongings.
Within 24 hours
- Report the claim to your insurance company, get a claim number and ask what is covered. Rising floodwater is usually excluded from homeowner policies and covered only by flood insurance.
- Remove standing water and wet rugs.
- Begin drying with fans and dehumidifiers. In Huntsville's humid months, running the air conditioner and dehumidifiers with windows closed often dries a house faster than open windows.
The drying phase
A water damage contractor should measure moisture in walls, floors and framing and record readings daily. Ask them to explain which materials can be dried and which must be removed, such as soaked insulation or swollen particleboard. Ask for the drying records in writing for your insurer.
Protect your claim
- Keep receipts for supplies, equipment rental, meals and lodging if you must leave the house.
- List damaged items with photos, age and estimated replacement source.
- Keep damaged materials or clear photos of them until the adjuster has seen them.
- Write down every call with your insurer: date, name and what was said.
If you hit a wall with your insurer
The Alabama Department of Insurance asks consumers to contact their insurance company or agent first. If that fails, its Consumer Services Division forwards a complaint to the company, which must respond to the department. The division reviews whether the company followed the policy terms and requires corrective action if it did not meet its legal obligations. The division's phone number is 334-241-4141.
Rebuilding the right way
Once everything is dry, get written repair quotes room by room. Under Alabama's rules, a repair job costing more than $10,000 needs a Home Builders Licensure Board license, so ask any contractor for theirs. Do not close up walls until you have seen final moisture readings.