A fireplace or wood burning stove can be an exciting focal point in your home. They provide warmth, ambiance, and style. They can unfortunately also be a source of potential damage to your home. Many fireplace and wood stove owners have experienced issues like chimney fires, smoke damage, or even larger house fires. If you are faced with one of these scary situations, you will want to know how you can get your home (and life) back to normal. 

One of your first questions might be whether your homeowners insurance will cover the fire and smoke damage to your home. In this article, we will answer this question, as well as several others about protecting yourself and your investment.

Damage From a Fireplace or Wood Stove: Will Your Homeowners Insurance Cover It?

In most cases, homeowners insurance covers fire and smoke damage, including damage caused by accidental chimney fires and fireplaces. However, homeowners insurance won’t cover damage due to wear and tear or maintenance issues. For example, if your fireplace or chimney caught fire because it’s not clean or in bad condition, your insurance may not cover the damage.

Does Having a Fireplace Increase the Cost of Homeowners Insurance?

Because of their potential to cause this type of damage, fireplaces and wood stoves are an increased risk to your home. This could mean higher homeowners insurance rates. The exact difference in your insurance costs may depend on the type and quality of fireplace or wood stove that your home has. You also may be able to lower your rates (and risks) by equipping your home with protective features like fire alarms, sprinklers, and smart home monitoring devices.

Additionally, it can be a struggle to get insurance coverage for homes that rely on fireplaces or wood stoves as the only source of heating. Keep this in mind when you are considering rustic vacation homes or cabins that may not have another source of heat.

What Insurance Coverage Do You Need For a Home with a Fireplace or Wood Stove?

Whether you are buying a new home with several fireplaces or installing a wood burning stove in your current home, you need to check your insurance policy. If your policy does not cover damages caused by fireplaces, you could end up with a complicated, expensive mess if  your fireplace causes damage to your home. 

For example, if your fireplace causes smoke and fire damage in your living room, your insurance company may not reimburse you for the costs of restoring and repairing your home if you did not have the right coverage. Share details on all features of your home with your insurance agent – this will ensure that you have the coverage you need. You may need to add a fireplace endorsement to your current homeowners insurance policy, or you can purchase a new policy that includes coverage for fireplace damages.

How can I Get Trusted, Local Help With Fire Damage To My Home?

Fire and smoke damage can cause major damage to your home in only a few minutes. The clean-up is complicated and dangerous, as everything from surfaces to the structure of your home can be impacted. If a fire does happen at your home, it’s critical that you act fast and get professional help. After your family is safe and the fire us out, the next two steps are to contact your insurance agent, and to contact a trusted, experienced fire damage restoration contractor. 

McMahon Services and Construction has been helping homeowners in Mundelein and beyond since 1954. With 24/7 availability, we can be onsite right away to stop the damage to your Illinois property, and start the restoration process. We will also work with your homeowner’s insurance company, comparing your insurance adjuster’s scope to our bid (and your input) to ensure that you have accurate coverage for the restoration of your home or business.

If you have suffered fire damage from a fireplace or wood stove, contact us today. We will be proud to show you our previous fire damage restoration projects, and can make you just as happy are our existing customers.