Got an underfloor leak? Insurance assessing company, PCLA takes the stress out of making a claim.
Home-owners may not realise that they have an underfloor leak. They may hear the tank in the attic refilling constantly or they might notice a drop in the heating system pressure gauge. Alternatively, there may be a discoloration on the timber floors, or floor tiles may be coming loose or boasted (hollow noise when tapped with the back of a knife).
The worst damage from an underfloor leak could be subsidence (imagine an incoming water mains leaking for 20 years beside a wall foundation, softening the ground below it). Property Claims Loss Assessors Ltd (PCLA) has come across all of these problems and knows exactly what the cause is.
Specialist plumbing companies can detect underfloor leaks by using infrared cameras or by putting gas into the system and seeing where it comes up. Finding and repairing these leaks is covered by most insurance policies by the term ‘trace and access’. There is a limit on most policies of around €750 in the Republic of Ireland and as much as £5,000 in Northern Ireland. When making a claim for leaks of this nature the onus is on the home-owner to prove that they have a claim; a plumber must also confirm the leak exists, repair it, and issue a written report.
When called in to assess an underfloor leak, PCLA carries out a full dampness survey of the entire ground floor of the house. As a leaking pipe can leak downwards onto a damp-proof membrane and spread horizontally, it demonstrates how necessary a full survey is needed. Ensuring that all of the damage is professionally assessed and thoroughly investigated saves the insurance company and the home-owners a lot of potential problems.
PCLA is one of the leading, preferred companies of plumbers in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. If you refer a claim to PCLA you will receive a referral fee of 10% of the fee.
T: (RoI) 01 562 0082 or (NI) 028 9521 2991 E: info@pcla.ie W: www.pcla.ie
