Published by Subsurface Leak Detection Editorial Team.
If water has damaged your property, organize what you know and distinguish it from what still needs investigation. This guide focuses on preparing for a leak investigation and keeping useful records. For coverage questions, read our homeowners insurance guide and ask your insurer about your specific policy.
1. Address the immediate water problem safely
Stay out of standing water where electricity or contamination may be present. If you can safely use a known, working water shutoff, stopping an active plumbing supply can limit further escape. If you cannot identify or safely operate it, contact the appropriate utility or qualified contractor. Do not delay necessary emergency assistance while trying to collect perfect documentation.
2. Record what you observed
Keep a simple timeline: when you first noticed water, where it appeared, whether it was continuous or intermittent, and what action was taken. Photograph affected areas when safe and keep a list of damaged belongings. Save repair invoices and other relevant records. The NAIC’s homeowners-claim guide explains the value of photographs, an inventory, policy information, and receipts.
Describe the discovery date accurately. It may differ from the date a leak began. Avoid guessing at the duration or cause if neither has been established.
3. Ask your insurer what it needs
Review your deductible and policy requirements. If you intend to claim, contact your insurer promptly and ask about reporting deadlines, required information, and any approval for further investigation. Keep the claim number and contact details together. Ask for instructions about preserving damaged components or other evidence without delaying necessary safety work.
4. Define the leak-detection assignment before booking
Share the insurer’s actual request with us. Useful details include the property address, affected area, system involved, previous repairs or testing, available access, and any time constraints. An investigation intended to locate a repair point may differ from a cause-and-origin assignment requested by an insurer.
Not every project requires or receives a written report. If your insurer, contractor, or property manager needs one, tell us before booking. We will agree the reporting requirements and investigation scope in advance.
5. Separate findings from coverage decisions
A technician can explain the observations, tests, limitations, and conclusions supported by the investigation. A thermal image, for example, shows surface-temperature differences and needs interpretation with other evidence. It is not automatically proof of the leak’s age or cause.
An investigation does not determine policy coverage, guarantee payment, or establish every aspect of property damage. Ask your insurer about its decision and any additional evidence it needs. Obtain specialist advice where a coverage dispute or another issue falls outside leak detection.
Arrange an investigation
Learn about our cause-and-origin investigation service, then contact us with your symptoms and documentation requirements.
