Real Claims: My kitchen flooded | PEMCO

When Lynn walked into her North Seattle home’s kitchen, she needed a moment to process what she saw: A mini-waterfall dribbled from under the sink and pooled around the stove island, and then snaked across the hardwood floor to greet her. Yes – water, water, everywhere! 

 She discovered a small jet spurting from a dishwasher supply-line valve that she had turned off that morning (the dishwasher died the night before). Her husband quickly shut off water to the house, and the two grabbed every bath towel they could find to mop up the mess. They opened the windows and cabinet doors to help things dry out and called a plumber to fix the broken valve.  

The plumber explained that the 30-year-old plastic valve had likely grown brittle with time, and the simple act of turning it had stressed it enough to split sometime later. “We see this more often than you’d think,” he told them. 

And they figured that was it – until their noses told them differently a couple of days later. 

Unseen water damage mounts quickly 

Neither they nor the plumber realized the water had soaked more than the floor and would soon send a musty odor wafting through the kitchen. That smell promoted Lynn’s call to PEMCO’s 24-hour claim line for help in getting rid of it  

PEMCO authorized a water damage restoration company to assess the problem. They found water had seeped through the home’s hardwood, subflooring, insulation, and into the crawlspace, where it puddled below. It also wicked up into the kitchen’s particleboard cabinet boxes along the sink’s wall and even soaked the drywall.   

That discovery sent the couple on a six-month journey of demolition, decontamination, and rebuilding that took out half of the kitchen.  

 How to prevent flooding from home appliances 

 Leaks can happen to anyone, even when they’re trying to do the right thing, like turning off the water to a broken appliance. But in hindsight, Lynn wishes she and her husband had done some things differently. 

“We didn’t question the quality of the valves under the sinks or think about them as something that could fail,” she said.   

After the flood, they had the plastic valves under all their sinks replaced with sturdier metal ones. They also added waterproof mats under all sinks to contain any small leaks that might pop up in the future.   

Also, Lynn said, they’ll never leave for a weekend trip or vacation without turning off water to the house. “All of this damage happened while we were home,” she said. “Imagine what could have happened if the water had run undiscovered for a week!” 

 Monitoring reduces your risk of water damage 

To Lynn’s advice, PEMCO adds one critical step: Install wireless water sensors near leak-prone appliances like washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerator ice-makers, water heaters, sinks, toilets, and sump pumps. 

If a sensor detects a leak, it sounds an alarm and sends an alert to your phone so you (or a neighbor or building manager you include on your “notify” list) can turn off the water right away. Some sensors can connect to a smart water valve and shut off the water supply automatically if a leak is detected (perfect if you’re away from home all day). 

Water sensors can qualify you for a protection device discount on your PEMCO Homeowner, Condo, or Renter policy. Talk to your local PEMCO agent or contact 1-800-GO-PEMCO to learn more. 

Water sensors can complement smart thermostats, which not only adjust the temperature of your home based on your schedule, but may alert you about changes in temperature and humidity in your home – another good defense against freezing pipes, mold growth, and other problems related to water damage. 

Back to normal with help from PEMCO 

Lynn’s water damage happened in 2022, when COVID was still snarling supply chains and making it hard to book contractors for carpentry, plumbing, painting, and more. 

“PEMCO was great in helping us remedy the situation, but I wouldn’t wish the experience of flooding on anyone,” Lynn said. “It disrupts every family routine.” 

Happily, though, the house is restored. Because they were able to reuse undamaged cabinet doors, countertops, and more, the kitchen retained its original appearance. “If someone walked in now who didn’t know about our flood, they’d have no idea that anything had happened,” Lynn said. 

Ready to take a deeper dive into preventing water leak damage? Check out tips for pipes, appliances, gutters, outdoor faucets, and more when you maintain, monitor, and inspect your home’s water systems.