Paperwork, done once
Documenting a water leak for a claim
Whether a claim is covered is between you and your carrier. What we can do is make sure the facts of the leak are recorded properly, in writing, on the day.
Where we fit
We document. The carrier decides.
That line is not a hedge, it is the honest division of labour — and it is worth being clear about before anything else.
We are a leak detection and leak repair business. We are not insurance advisers and nothing on this page is insurance or legal advice. We cannot tell you whether a loss is covered, we will never suggest what a claim ought to say, and we will not promise any outcome. What we can do is find the leak, record what we found, and write it up so the file contains facts rather than recollection.
Carriers and administrators differ in what they ask for, and they are entitled to. The most reliable thing you can do at the start is ring your own carrier or read your own policy and ask what they need. Then the documentation can be built to fit, rather than reworked later.
What a file usually contains
The facts that tend to be asked for
- When it was first noticed, and what was noticed. A date and a plain sentence.
- Where the water was. Which room, which wall, which part of the yard, which piece of equipment.
- What was done about it and when. The water shut off, the pump turned off, the controller switched off, the call made.
- Photographs taken before anything was moved or opened. Wide enough to show where you are, then close enough to show the detail.
- The location of the leak itself, once it has been found, rather than the location of the damage.
- How it was located — pressure test, acoustic listening, dye trace, thermal imaging, line trace.
- What putting it right involves, described as scope of work.
- Readings, where they exist, such as meter readings or moisture readings, with the time they were taken.
None of that is exotic. Most of it is simply the difference between a file assembled on the day and a file assembled from memory a fortnight later.
What we hand over
The leak locate, in writing
What we were asked to look at
The address, the date, and the complaint as it was described to us.
What we tested, and how
Which systems were isolated and tested, and with what method. A pressure test that held is as much a finding as one that did not.
Where the leak is
The located position, described so somebody who was not there can find it, with photographs of the area and of any access that had to be made.
What the evidence looked like
Thermal images, dye observations, listening results or line trace notes, as applicable to the property.
What the repair involves
Described as scope: what has to be opened, what is being repaired or rerouted, and what is affected.
What we did not and could not test
Just as important. Anything inaccessible, anything that could not be isolated, and anything outside leak work goes in the same document.
Doing yourself a favour
The first hour matters most
Almost everything that makes a claim file thin happens in the first hour, when the priority is understandably to stop the water and mop the floor. Two habits fix it. First, photograph before you move anything — phones timestamp pictures, and that timestamp is worth having. Second, write the date and time you first noticed it on something other than your memory.
If water is escaping right now, dealing with it comes first. The shut-off is the priority, and our emergency leak detection page walks through what to do in the order to do it.
On coverage, we have no view
We will not tell you what your policy covers, we will not tell you a claim will be paid, and we will not speculate about your carrier or your warranty administrator. Those conversations belong with them, and the documentation we provide is the same either way.
Straight answers
Documentation questions
Will my insurance cover a leak?
That is entirely a question for your carrier and your policy, and we are not able to answer it. Nothing on this page is insurance advice. Ask your carrier directly, early, and ask specifically what documentation they want.
Do you deal with the carrier for me?
We provide the leak documentation, and we are happy to send it to whoever you tell us to, including an adjuster. We do not negotiate or advocate on a claim, because that is not our role and it would not be right for us to do it.
Is a locate report the same as a cause-and-origin report?
No. A locate report says where water is escaping from and how that was established. A broader determination of cause and responsibility is a different professional exercise and we do not present ours as one.
Should I wait for the carrier before fixing it?
Ask them, not us — and ask before the water runs any longer than it has to. Most policies talk about limiting further damage, so a sensible first step is to stop the water and photograph everything, then ask your carrier how they want the repair handled.
Can you write the report after the repair is already done?
We can only write about what we tested and saw ourselves. If we located it, we can document the locate afterwards. If we never saw the property before the repair, there is nothing we can honestly certify about it.
What if you find no leak?
Then that is what the document says, along with what was tested to reach it. A test that holds is a finding, and it is often exactly what a file needs.
How the leak gets found
Tell us what the water is doing
When you first noticed it, what you saw, and who needs the documentation. Dates are worth more here than adjectives.
Need the leak found and written up?
Tell us what happened and who needs the documentation, and we will keep the record straight from the first visit.
5.0 on Google
What customers in the Phoenix valley have written. The words are theirs, on listings we cannot edit.
“Humberto has been amazing! Prompt, professional, and patient. He has gone above and beyond, taking the time to show me how to operate the water valves and educating me so I can continue to monitor for future leaks. He identified multiple leaks and made thoughtful recommendations.”
“Beto was very professional, thorough and patient in explaining everything he was doing and why. It was an excellent and well worth it experience, and this is saying something for an architect who had a hundred questions!”
“The owner and operator of this company is everything a contractor should be. On time, honest, competent, reachable, comprehensive. Hope to work with him again in the future.”