Preventing Water Damage in Different Areas of Your Home
A burst pipe, a leaking ceiling, and a faulty water heater. What do these 3 things have in common?
They could all be the beginning of water damage, a serious danger to all homes. While mold needs certain conditions to be a nuisance, water damage can happen at any moment. It’s important to act quickly when water damage strikes, as it can be the cause of many other problems. For instance, mold can begin to grow in a wet area after only 24 hours. In this post, we’ll be looking at how you can prevent water damage, or catch it before it becomes severe, in different areas of your home.
In The Bathroom
●Routinely inspect the area under the sink with a flashlight. If you notice telltale signs of a leak, like moistness near the pipes, or the build up of rust, you should call a plumber. ●Near the bathtub and shower, you should look for swelling or discoloration. These are indicators that a water leak is present near the shower. ●If there’s cracks, or mold in the caulking, or in the tile grout, you should re-caulk the area. Cracking or mold in the tile grout is another sign that water damage has occurred.
Around The Water Heater
●When sediment, or dirt falls to the bottom of the water heater tank, it can rust and crack the tank. Thoroughly inspect around the tank for signs of leaks, like moisture on the floor. You should have your water tank inspected by a professional at least every 5 years. Additionally, Water heater tanks more than ten years old should be replaced.
●It’s imperative that your water heater is situated on the lowest level your home, and near a floor drain. If that’s not an option, it must be placed inside a drain pan, which
must be connected to the floor drain.
In The Laundry Room
●It’s important that the hoses to your washing machine are changed, at most, every three years. Your hose option should be constructed of metal-mesh, and should be able to withstand high pressures. These hoses are more durable, and will last longer than your average plastic hose. There should be enough room around the hoses to prevent kinks, which can cause serious damage to the hose. Damage to the hose can be in the form of bulges, bumps, and cracks. It’s important that the connections are totally secure, and you should make sure there’s no present moisture. Additionally, if the hose is damaged or frayed, you should have it replaced immediately.
In The Kitchen
●Be careful when pulling and pushing your fridge back into place after cleaning it, as to not kink or damage the hose or pipe connected to the automatic ice maker. Also, routinely check the hose or pipe to make sure it isn’t damaged.
●Your dishwasher also has hoses that must be checked routinely for kinks and damages. The dishwasher is an appliance that commonly is the root of water damage.
Air Conditioning Unit
●If routine maintenance is not performed on your air conditioning unit, it can begin to leak, which can very easily lead to water damage. Fortunately, the majority of this routine maintenance is easily performed, and does not involve hiring a professional in most cases.
●A common problem with the A/C unit is a clogged drain line. This drain line collects hard water produced by your A/C unit, and removes it from your home. This drain line can be clogged with sediment, algae, soil, or even mold, causing the water to overflow and spill into your home.
●If these pipes are clogged, you can attempt to use a wet vacuum to suck the hard water and garbage from the drainage pipe. To prevent these lines from clogging, pour a mixture of one part warm water, one part bleach, once every four to six months into the pipe. You must make sure these pipes are not already clogged. Consider installing a device that shuts off the water when the lines are overflowing.
●A dirty air filter can lead to leaking water. These air filters should be replaced every once every 2 months, unless it’s being used consistently, then it should be replaced once a month. If it’s not changed, the airflow to the evaporator coils will be restricted. This can cause water to freeze on the coil, and when it melts, it will drip water.
Other Areas Of Your House
●Everyone in the house should know where the shutoff valves for the main water supply is located, and they must know how to shut them off. Also, If you’re going out of
town and will be out of the home for over a week, it’s a good idea to shut off the main water supply. This will prevent unexpected leaks, and water damage, from occurring.
●You should also consider installing leak detection devices in your home that are designed to alert you of a leak before water damage occurs. These devices will also shut off the water supply before serious water damage occurs.
Given these points, a person who heeds this information should be safe from ever experiencing water damage in their home. If your home has experienced water damage, it is important to call a company that is licensed to handle water damage and mold claims. Mold is a serious health hazard that can be the direct result of your home experiencing water damage. If you’d like to learn more about mold, and how you can prevent it from growing in your home, check out our new, free eBook, The Guide to Mold Detection and Prevention. This guide will tell you how to spot mold in your home, how to prevent it from growing, and how to get it removed safely.
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