Some homeowners on the west coast have recently found themselves at odds with their plumbing; discovering pinhole leaks in the copper piping running through their house. They’ve come to find out that over the course of a few months, possibly longer, water has been slowly dripping and soaking into the insulation, spreading and seeping into the walls, becoming a breeding ground for mold and mildew. In our last post, we discussed how poor construction is leading to moldy homes on the east coast. As we stated Monday, contractors and builders are being held accountable for these types of errors, highlighting the need for comprehensive Construction General Liability Insurance.
Why are these leaks occurring? In the west coast cases, as far as leak detection experts can tell, the problem is not with the installation, leading homeowners to wonder if the water district was to blame, for putting erosive chemicals in their drinking water that eventually eats through the copper. However, even if homeowners are currently pointing their fingers at the water district, they could just as easily blame the contractor or builder; claiming that they should be aware of area water chemistry, and should be required to take that into account when deciding what building materials to use.
While this issue is largely affecting Southern California, if the problem is not addressed and weaker, thinner building materials continue to be approved for building projects, these leaks could easily escalate and start to be more frequent elsewhere, such as New Jersey. This is particularly hazardous for homeowners in this area who already have concerns over freezing pipes and other winter related home problems.
At Provident Protection Plus Insurance Agency, we understand that contractor’s risks don’t end when the job is complete. We provide a complete suite of insurance products and services to the broad contractor segment to serve these risks, including property, liability, and workers compensation insurance among other key coverages. For more information, please contact us today at (888) 990-0526.