burst pipe PAt testing + contents claim advise please

chief1959

Sorry to trouble folks.
I will try and summarise: a joint valve in the central heating pipes leaked Wednesday - discovered when I got home from work. The pipes are located upstairs in a cupboard. (offending part replaced now).

The water damage is to the bedroom carpet the water came through the floor - leaving a large water stain to the lounge ceiling below, the water has also damaged a beam (we are a listed building) it then cascaded down showering over the television - (looked like a water feature) the TV sits on a pine cupbaord containg the Wii, hifi , usual TV home entertainment electrical goods.... before settling on the lounge carpet (also now drying out as we have a humidifyer through chemdry - via Insurance). I took photos and a small piece of video footage.

I had an assessor around yesterday, who agreed to painting ceiling, taking advise on the beam, then said as per chem-dry to wait a week for the humidifier / drying to take effect and then the electrical items should be removed and will be PAT tested. He reckons both carpets will dry out as will the old cupboard??? I will wait and see.

My query is with regards to the TV /HIFi /Sky box and Wii as the idea that even if they pass PAT testing it is quite possible that they could possibly break down in months to come... after settling the claim I could be left replacing the items myself ???

I also have box sets of DVDs that are water damaged, and although the assessor could clearly see the damage (and I have photos) he states the CDS and DVDs should still play ok, it is merely the packaging in his opinion???

Does any-one have any advise please - in particular on how well these items play after damaged items dry out, as I have found a search that states the TVs don't tend to and ours is only 2 years old.

Wider my position with regards to the claim itself.

I am truly not attempting to claim anything I shouldn't - merely not be left with problems arising in the future:cool:.

Thank You:)

huckster

Not being critical, but you appear to be pushing it a little.

The Insurers can only deal with what the assessor sees. If you are not happy with the PAT testing etc, you could opt to pay for your own tests, but if they are working ok, I am not sure in the event of the Skybox etc breaking down in a few months, you could prove it was the water damage that was the cause.

I think you just need to let matters progress and if you are unhappy at any point speak to the Insurers.

Barneysmom

Not just a matter of them working for now, the back of the circuit boards will rust eventually......

System

I didn't think that you could PAT test items that were double insulated and didn't have an earth?

Earth Bond test won't work

chief1959

Barneysmom wrote: »

Not just a matter of them working for now, the back of the circuit boards will rust eventually......

Thank You - this is my concern + my TV is only just 2 years old,although I have just purchased a further 12 months extended warranty. The wii is 14 months - plus the sky box is only under warranty for another 2 months - It's just that I have found a thread through google that states electrical items don't fair well once water has got into them.

As huckster states - it is a matter of the claim progressing - including the tests which may yet deem all electrical goods 'dead'

Mugwup - thanks I have no idea which items have no earth or are double insulated - I will leave it to the PAT guy's

In the meantime should I be contacting SKy??

Owain_Moneysaver

An ordinary PAT test will not reveal internal damage. Most electronic 'gubbins' are actually washed during their manufacturer - but with pure water not mucky stuff from a leak. The correct action may have been to dismantle them as quickly as possible and wash the mucky stuff out of them before drying. This would have to be done by a skilled repairer and not everything is suited to this course of action.

However, unless your policy is new-for-old replacement, the items you have will have already depreciated a lot and so you wouldn't get anything approaching current retail value.

If the TV is under extended warranty it might be covered if it fails within the extended warranty period because of the leak, and if it isn't you can at least get a cheap telly even if it's not the same, but I would suggest trying to negotiate a new Wii as they're expensive to replace.

keith1950

Hi, most extended warranties only cover genuine faults and if there were any signs of corrosion any claim would be rejected, best check your policy. !!!!!! is right a PAT test is only for electrical safety , the only way to 'check' these items would be to open them up and check if water has got inside. Usually any corrosion would show up as a variety of faults within a few weeks.