FloodStopper System may allay insurers, homeowners mold fears

Information on the FloodStopper System which is a revolutionary plumbing leak detection and control system. Many insurance companies around the countyr are removing water damage from their coverages leaving homeowners without adequate coverage.

     PRESS RELEASE FOR FLOODSTOPPER SYSTEM

MEDIA CONTACT
Rod McDonald
877-890-7867
                                                                                                                
FloodStopper System may allay
insurers, homeowners mold fears
   
   Texas homeowners are facing a consumer crisis.
   Escalating mold claims have forced three of the states largest insurers to stop issuing new comprehensive homeowners policies. In November, Farmers Insurance Group announced it wouldnt renew existing policies for some 600,000 homeowners next year. Since then State Farm and Allstate have followed suit making it difficult for homeowners to purchase insurance coverage for water damage to their homes.
   This means if an overflowing toilet ruins wood flooring or carpet, youll be stuck with the bill. And if water from a leaking dishwasher or washing machine seeps into the walls, it can leave a moist breeding ground for mold. Nationwide Insurance says the average claim for water damage and related mold problems ranges from $45,000 to $60,000.
   Theres a reliable product available, however, that can help homeowners buy some peace of mind.
   Its called the FloodStopper System. Once it detects a water leak, this patented system shuts off the supply of water to a home or business within seconds. There is no other leak detection system that works as quickly.
   Professionally installed by a FloodStopper representative, the average home system costs from $1,000 to $1,500, much less than the cost of cleaning up after a flood caused by faulty plumbing or an accidental overflow.
   Heres one example of how a FloodStopper System pays off. Shortly after Brian McLoughlin had it installed in his North Central San Antonio home, his wife, Tamin, called him at work to say the water in the house was turned off.
   I told her to go around the house and check, that we probably had something leaking. She did, but couldnt find anything, not around the sinks or toilets, so I told her to go out in the garage and hit the re-set button."
   His wife called back, saying the water had shut off again. Irritated, McLoughlin phoned his FloodStopper System installer.
   He asked me if we had checked the sensors underneath the air conditioning unit in the hallway closet. I told my wife and she pulled off the grate, and sure enough, she said it was chock full of water under the air conditioner. It was starting to come out onto the carpet and seep out."
   McLoughlin came home, mopped up the water with a sponge and contacted his air conditioning repairman, who cleared out a clogged water line in the unit.
   If we didnt have the FloodStopper System, we would have run the air conditioner all day and all night and woken up to find water in the hallway, in the babys room, everywhere. We would have lost carpet in the back half of the house, for sure."
   Instead of costing me a $500 deductible, I was out a 35-cent sponge."
   By stopping the leak from spreading, the FloodStopper System also protected his family from possible exposure to stachybotrys chartarum, also known as toxic mold, which can grow on water-damaged material. It has been blamed for a range of health problems, from respiratory and sinus problems to nosebleeds, headaches and even memory loss.
   The FloodStopper acts as sort of a circuit breaker for the water supply. Remote or hardwire sensors are placed near areas where flooding may occur: behind toilets, under sinks and around dishwashers, ice makers, hot water heaters and washing machines. If water comes into contact with a sensor, it sends a signal to a control panel wired to a Honeywell valve on the water main, ordering the valve to close and shutting off the supply of water to the home.
   Once a leak has been fixed, pushing a button on the control panel will reopen the valve. A homeowner also can close the valve manually from the control panel, open the faucets and drain all water from the pipes in the house. That can come in handy on cold winter nights, when water in the pipes might freeze.
   Giving their customers another reason to buy their homes is why Mann Custom Homes became one of the first homebuilders in North America to make the FloodStopper System a standard feature.
   On the economy of scale, for what it costs us to put in a FloodStopper System, it just doesnt make sense not to do it," said Mike Roberson, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Mann Custom Homes, homes in the San Antonio area. It would be silly not to do it. It would be like not putting carpet in the bedroom."
   Were hoping it will assist our homeowners in insurance cost reductions, and we also believe that mold and mildew from water leaks is becoming a major issue in the industry today."
   Rod McDonald, the FloodStopper distributor for Texas, believes the product is about to become even more valuable for homeowners.
   We think theres a good chance insurance companies are going to offer premium discounts to homeowners that have the FloodStopper System installed," said McDonald, who worked in water damage restoration for more than three years.
   McDonald is quick to point out that the FloodStopper Systems wont stop all water damage. But, McDonald said, FloodStopper is still a powerful deterrent to costly water damage.
   To me its a no-brainer. I cant see how anyone wouldnt see the value in this. Youre not spending money. Youre investing in your home."
   For more information on the FloodStopper System, contact Rod McDonald by E-mail at rodmcd@floodstopperoftexas.com or go to www.floodstopperoftexas.com