Water damage can be a costly affair to any homeowner. It can run into thousands of dollars in repairs. This can be very stressful especially when you’ve just renovated the home. There are some common types of water damages that can be avoided. You will be able to know how to react in order to avoid further damages to the house.
Before we can look at the ways you can prevent the water damages in the home, we first need to examine the main causes and then looking for recommended solutions. Water damages occur when there is excess water begins to pull in areas where it shouldn’t in areas that it shouldn’t. There are different factors that could lead to this scenario.
1. Insulating Pipes
Pipe bursts are one of the common reasons for water damage in the home. It occurs when there the pipes have been blocked or clogged resulting in undue pressure. This can lead to bursting or leaking of the pipes. Pipe bursting or leaking can also happen during winter when the temperatures are low. If you’ve just renovated your home, you shouldn’t also be forgetting about pipe lagging. The pipe insulation is important because it prevents them from freezing or bursting and can also save on energy costs.
What to do when a pipe bursts in your home655
People who own old homes are likely to experience pipe bursts or leaks, especially during winter. The same can also happen to newly renovated homes and will depend on the kind of pipe insulation that is put in place. Pipe lagging should ideally be done with the renovations and one shouldn’t wait until things get out of hand.
In case you’ve experienced a pipe burst, the first thing that should be done is shutting off the main water source completely. Depending on the severity of the damages, you should also switch off the electricity in the house to prevent electrocution. The next course of action would be to call a plumber. Not all of them work 24 hours and that is why it is important to look for someone who will be available round the clock.
You should also make sure you’re inspecting the water pressure levels in the house. If they’re set too high, the hoses and pipes could fail under pressure. A water pressure gauge is inexpensive and will come and can easily be attached to the water faucet. Through the gauge’s reading, you’re able to know the pressure levels in the home. A typical residential water system should be between 40-70 psi. If the pressure levels exceed 100 psi, it is time you invested in a pressure regulator which can also be easily be found in hardware stores and even online.
2. High-Quality Plumbing
Poor quality plumbing work is another cause of water damage in the home. It is important that you look for an experienced plumber who will not do shoddy work in your home. Even after the renovation, you can still hire a plumber to do an inspection of the pipes just to make sure everything is working fine. The pipes in the house will also need regular maintenance to prevent any leaks and bursts. If it is an old house, the renovation should take a holistic approach. This will some instances mean getting rid of the whole plumbing system in place. It might be costly but you will be saving a lot on future repairs. There is also the risk of water contamination which comes about as a result of corrosion and rusting in the old pipes.
3. Clean Gutters
Blocked gutters can also result in water damages in the home. Homeowners need to make cleaning the gutter a routine chore. It should be done at least twice or thrice in a year or when there is a major storm. Full gutters can cause water damages to the roofing and fascia of the house. It could also cause problems to the decks because water will go down cleanly on the spouts to the foundation and sometimes to the basement. The water torrents could also damage the garden beds if you have them in place.
Cleaning the gutter can be a dangerous process since there is involvement of climbing ladders. You can do it yourself or if you don’t feel confident call a professional. Ideally, you should be cleaning the gutters when it is dry as doing it during the rainy or winter season can be unpleasant. It is a good idea to inspect the gutters if a big storm has been forecasted. If you’re doing it on your own, it is generally not recommended to do it from the roof. There should be stable footing since you will be moving the ladder a lot.
4. Maintaining Trees and Vegetation
Thriving shrubs can be aesthetically pleasing until their roots start interfering with the pipes by wrapping around and breaking them. Big trees should not be planted at least six meters near the house. This is because the roots can interfere with the foundation and structural integrity of the house. They could also cause damage to the pipes if they’re growing along the lines. The roots should be regularly checked to ensure that there are not interfering with the pipes. The trees also need to be pruned and loosely hanging branches removed. This is because they can fall on the roof or block the gutters which may result in water and structural damages to the house.
5. Investigate Leaks and Fix Immediately
The leak could be a minor problem but that doesn’t mean it should be ignored. It could mean there is a bigger problem that needs to be fixed. Postponing the repairs and quick fixes could result in mould, dry rot, and sometimes even structural damages. This could have been avoided if the problem was fixed before it got out of hand. You should also do regular inspections of the pipes, the gutter, and the roof just to make sure that everything is working properly.
6. Monitor Water Bill
Monitoring the water bill should be done on a monthly basis. If there is a big deviation from the monthly average, chances are high there is a water leak. This will mean inspecting the pipes for the leak sources. Another way is you can know if there is a leak is by turning the main meter off and taking note of the reading. Wait for about 30 minutes before looking at the reading. If there is a movement, you definitely have a leak and your system might not be as watertight as you think it is.
7. Install water detection device
This electronic device will sound an alarm whenever the sensor gets into contact with moisture. The device is helpful because it has the ability to detect slow leaks or moisture levels that are not easily detected. It should be installed near dishwashers, washing machines, sump pumps, and water heaters. You won’t ever have to worry about water damages that ambush you when you’re least prepared. There are lots of devices available, if you’re not sure which to choose take a look at this guide.
To sum it up
Water damage can be disastrous to new or renovated homes. This is because a lot of money has gone into the building or renovation and the last thing you need is new repairs. As a homeowner, you need to take a proactive approach when dealing with water damages. The inspection should be done on a regular basis. Investing in a water leaking detection system could save you the time and anguish when doing the investigations. You’re able to detect leaks as soon as they happen so that you can mitigate the damages.
