Water Damage Glossary

• A
• B
• C
• D
• E
• F
• G
• H
• I
• M
• N
• P
• R
• S
• T
• W

A

Actual cash value

The value of damaged property after depreciation, roughly what it was worth used. Many policies pay actual cash value first and the rest of the replacement cost after repairs are made. Homeowners insurance and water damage in Colorado.

Additional living expenses

Insurance coverage that helps pay for a hotel, meals and other added costs when a covered loss makes your home unlivable. In Colorado, replacement cost dwelling policies must include at least 12 months of it under C.R.S. § 10-4-110.8. How Colorado policies handle water claims.

Air mover

A high-velocity fan designed to blow air across wet carpet, floors and walls. Air movers speed evaporation so dehumidifiers can pull the moisture out of the room. Water mitigation and extraction.

Air scrubber

A portable machine that pulls air through a HEPA filter to capture mold spores, dust and soot during cleanup. It is often used with containment during mold remediation. Mold removal and remediation.

Antimicrobial

A cleaning product applied to surfaces to reduce bacteria and mold growth. It is used after gray or black water and doesn't replace removing contaminated materials. Sewage backup cleanup.

B

Backflow preventer

A valve that keeps irrigation or other water from flowing back into your drinking water. Outdoor backflow preventers can freeze and split if they aren't drained before winter. Burst and frozen pipe water damage.

Backwater valve

A one-way valve on a sewer line that lets wastewater leave the house but helps stop sewage from flowing back in when the main is overloaded. A licensed plumber can say whether one fits your system. Sewage backup cleanup.

Black water

Grossly contaminated water, such as sewage or floodwater from outside. It can carry bacteria and viruses, so porous materials it soaks are usually removed rather than dried. Category 1, 2 and 3 water explained.

Board-up

Covering broken windows, doors or roof openings with plywood or tarps to keep weather and intruders out after a storm, fire or break-in. Ceiling and roof leak water damage.

C

Clean water

Water from a sanitary source, such as a broken supply line or an overflowing sink with no contaminants. It can turn into gray water if it sits or collects contaminants. Category 1, 2 and 3 water explained.

Cleanout

A capped access point on a sewer or drain line that lets a plumber clear a blockage. Many homes have one in the basement or near the foundation outside. Sewer backup insurance.

Containment

Plastic sheeting and negative air pressure used to seal off a work area during mold removal, so spores don't spread to clean parts of the house. Mold removal and remediation.

Contents restoration

Cleaning, drying and storing furniture, clothing, documents and other belongings after water, smoke or mold damage. Water mitigation and extraction.

D

Deductible

The part of a covered loss you pay before insurance pays. Some Colorado policies use a separate deductible for wind and hail. Homeowners insurance and water damage.

Dehumidifier

A machine that removes moisture from the air. Restoration crews use commercial refrigerant or low-grain refrigerant (LGR) units that pull far more water than household models. Water mitigation and extraction.

Desiccant dehumidifier

A dehumidifier that uses a moisture-absorbing material instead of cold coils. It works well in cold spaces and large commercial drying jobs. Commercial water damage restoration.

Drying log

A daily record of moisture readings, room conditions and equipment placement during drying. Insurers often ask for it to confirm the job reached a dry standard. Water mitigation and extraction.

Dwelling coverage

The part of a homeowners policy that pays to repair the structure of your house, such as walls, floors and built-in cabinets. Homeowners insurance and water damage.

E

Expansive soil

Clay-rich soil or bedrock that swells when it gets wet and shrinks when it dries. Much of the Front Range sits on it, so water under a slab or along a foundation can cause movement. Basement flood cleanup.

Extraction

Removing standing water and pulling water out of carpet and pad with pumps and extractors. It is the first and fastest way to limit water damage. Water mitigation and extraction.

F

Flash flood

Flooding that rises within minutes to a few hours after heavy rain, often along creeks and gulches. In Littleton, the flood season runs from about mid-April to mid-September. Emergency flood cleanup.

Flood cut

A straight cut in drywall, usually 12 to 24 inches above the water line, made to remove wet or contaminated material and let the wall cavity dry. Basement flood cleanup.

Flood Insurance Rate Map

FEMA's official map of flood hazard areas for a community. Lenders and insurers use it to decide flood insurance requirements and rates. Littleton flood zones and FEMA maps.

Flood zone

An area FEMA has mapped by its flood risk. A Special Flood Hazard Area has at least a 1 percent chance of flooding in any year. Littleton flood zones and FEMA maps.

Floor drain

A drain set in a basement or utility room floor. It is often the first place sewage appears during a sewer backup. Sewage backup cleanup.

Frost-free sillcock

An outdoor faucet whose valve sits inside the heated wall so it is less likely to freeze. A hose left connected can still trap water and split it. How to prevent frozen pipes.

G

Galvanized pipe

Steel water pipe coated with zinc, common in homes built before the 1960s. It corrodes from the inside over time and can leak at threaded joints. Burst and frozen pipe water damage.

Gray water

Water with some contamination that could cause illness, such as discharge from a washing machine, dishwasher or toilet bowl with urine. It needs cleaning and sanitizing, not just drying. Category 1, 2 and 3 water explained.

H

HEPA filter

A high-efficiency particulate air filter that captures very small particles, including mold spores. HEPA vacuums and air scrubbers are standard on mold and soot jobs. Mold removal and remediation.

HO-3 policy

The most common homeowners insurance form for single-family homes. It covers the house against most causes of loss except those the policy excludes, such as flood. Homeowners insurance and water damage.

HO-6 policy

Insurance for condo and some townhome owners. It usually covers the inside of your unit and your belongings, while the HOA's master policy covers the building. Homeowners insurance and water damage.

Hygrometer

An instrument that measures temperature and relative humidity in a room. Crews use readings to set up and adjust drying equipment. Water mitigation and extraction.

I

Ice dam

A ridge of ice that forms at a roof's edge when snow melts higher up and refreezes at the cold eave. Water backs up behind it and can leak into ceilings and walls. Ice dams: removal and prevention.

IICRC S500

The ANSI/IICRC S500 Standard for Professional Water Damage Restoration, an industry standard that defines water categories, classes and drying procedures. Water mitigation and extraction.

IICRC S520

The ANSI/IICRC S520 Standard for Professional Mold Remediation, an industry standard for assessing, containing and removing mold. Mold removal and remediation.

M

Mitigation

The first phase after water damage: stopping the water, extracting it and drying the structure so the damage stops getting worse. Repairs come after. Water mitigation and extraction.

Moisture mapping

Measuring and marking how far water traveled through floors, walls and ceilings, often with moisture meters and thermal cameras, so drying covers every wet area. Signs of hidden water damage.

Moisture meter

A tool that measures the moisture content in wood, drywall, concrete and other materials. It tells a crew whether a surface that feels dry is actually dry. Signs of hidden water damage.

Mold remediation

Finding, containing and removing mold growth and cleaning the area, after fixing the moisture problem that caused it. Mold removal and remediation.

N

National Flood Insurance Program

A federal program managed by FEMA that offers flood insurance to property owners in participating communities. Standard homeowners policies generally exclude flood. Littleton flood zones and FEMA maps.

P

Pack-out

Moving belongings out of a damaged home to be cleaned and stored while the structure is dried and repaired. Water mitigation and extraction.

Personal property coverage

The part of a homeowners or renters policy that pays for belongings such as furniture, clothing and electronics. Homeowners insurance and water damage.

PEX

Flexible cross-linked polyethylene water pipe common in newer homes. It handles freezing better than copper but can still split or pull from fittings. Burst and frozen pipe water damage.

Post-remediation verification

A check after mold removal, often by an independent assessor, to confirm the area is clean and dry before walls are closed up. Mold removal and remediation.

Public adjuster

An insurance adjuster you hire to represent you on a claim. In Colorado, public adjusters must be licensed under C.R.S. § 10-2-417 and can't take part in repairing the property they adjust. Homeowners insurance and water damage.

R

Recoverable depreciation

The amount held back from a replacement cost claim until repairs or replacements are made. Colorado gives policyholders at least 365 days after additional living expenses end to collect it in many cases. Homeowners insurance and water damage.

Relative humidity

How much water vapor the air holds compared with the most it could hold at that temperature. The EPA recommends keeping indoor relative humidity below 60 percent, ideally 30 to 50 percent. How long it takes mold to grow.

Replacement cost

Insurance that pays what it costs to repair or replace damaged property with new material of like kind and quality, without deducting for age. Homeowners insurance and water damage.

S

Sewer backup coverage

An add-on to a homeowners policy that covers damage when sewage or water backs up through drains or a sump pump overflows. Standard policies usually exclude it. Sewer backup insurance.

Sewer lateral

The pipe that carries wastewater from your house to the public sewer main. In Littleton, the property owner owns and maintains it, including the part under the street. Sewer backup insurance.

Soot

Fine black particles left by incomplete burning. Soot stains surfaces, carries odor and can be acidic, so it needs prompt, careful cleaning. Fire damage restoration.

Structural drying

Drying the building itself, including framing, subfloor, drywall and concrete, with air movers and dehumidifiers until moisture readings reach a dry standard. Water mitigation and extraction.

Sump pump

A pump in a pit at the lowest point of a basement that moves groundwater away from the foundation. If it fails, the basement can flood. Sump pump failure.

T

Thermal imaging camera

A camera that shows temperature differences. Wet areas often appear cooler, which helps locate hidden moisture behind walls and under floors. It is confirmed with a moisture meter. Signs of hidden water damage.

W

Window well

The excavated area around a basement window below ground level. If it fills with water or snowmelt, water can leak through the window into the basement. What to do if your basement floods.