Home is one of the most significant assets; that’s why homeowners try their best to prevent and minimize water damage. Whether a natural disaster or a malfunctioning plumbing system, you can implement water damage prevention measures to minimize the water damage and the restoration cost. How? All you need to do is to follow the precautionary measures discussed in the following guide to ensure the safety of your property and family.

Steps to prevent water damage

A water leak, no matter how small, if left untreated, causes severe structural problems, stains, mold growth, water contamination, or damaged wires.

New technology

Homeowners should leverage the latest technology for early detection of water damage. For instance, you can install smart home water sensors, which you can use to automatically shut off the water to different appliances, such as dryers, washing machines, and dishwashers. Besides, you can also deploy state-of-the-art temperature and humidity sensors to detect water pressure inside the frozen pipes.

Similarly, you can install leak detectors at different plumbing points throughout the home. Hence, these detectors trigger an alarm in case of a minor leak or a crack to prevent further water damage. The good news is that advanced leak detectors come with Wifi capabilities and ensure convenient integration with other smart home appliances. You can install leak detectors in important places, such as:

• Basement
• Laundry
• Water heater cabinet
• Washing machine
• Near main water pipes
• Near fridge, dishwasher, and sink

It depends on your budget whether you want to install area detectors, spot detectors, active and passive flood alarms, etc.

Winterizing water pipes

Living in a region that receives excess snowfall during winter poses a serious threat to frozen pipes. As the outside temperature drops to zero and negative, the water freezes in the pipe, disrupting the home’s water supply. Not only that, but the frozen water exerts more pressure on the pipes leading to pipe bursts. Frozen pipes are a normal phenomenon in cold regions.

However, the homeowners should be familiar with the process of unfreezing the pipes using a dryer, heating pads, and hot water. Also, you should let all the faucets drip to prevent pressure buildup in the pipes. If you vacate your home during winter or don’t run water through the pipes, it’s best to call professionals to winterize them. The first step is to shut off the main water supply and open all the faucets and taps to remove water from the pipe. Later, the experts use air compressors to remove the remaining water, flush all the toilets, and empty the holding tank of the water heater.

Sump pumps

When a storm hits your area, the basement is the first place that floods during extended rain. Hence, you should install sump pumps to automatically remove excess water from the basement to keep the foundation dry. Since the sump pump operates upon detecting excess water in the basement, you should periodically check the pump by pouring water into the sump pit.

After filling the sump pit, you can see the water level rising, which automatically trunks on the sump pump. To ensure the proper working of the pump, check the reduced water levels in the sump pit. Finally, don’t forget to service the pump every year before the rainy season.

Dehumidifiers

If you live in a tropical area with higher humidity levels, you should invest in a durable dehumidifier. The primary purpose of buying a dehumidifier is to remove excess moisture from the air to prevent mold growth. You don’t necessarily need to buy a heavy-duty dehumidifier. Instead, you can invest in a portable dehumidifier that serves the square feet area of your living room.

Appliances check

It’s not just the plumbing issues or natural disasters that cause water damage to the property, but many appliances leak water which ruins your wooden and tile floors.

Water heater – You should regularly check for leakage or water puddles under the water heater.

Refrigerator – If your fridge has an ice maker or water dispenser, you should keep an eye on the water connection between the refrigerator and the wall.

Air conditioner – Any clogging in the ventilation or AC ducts leads to water seepage to the walls as well as mold growth.

Washing machine – You should check for worn-out tubes, loose connections, and other stress cracks on the supply hose.

Tips to prevent drain clogging

As responsible homeowners, you shouldn’t misuse and clog the plumbing system by ensuring the following preventive measures: Clogged drains are the primary reason behind water damage, followed by leaking pipes. Hence, you can schedule a regular appointment with a professional to ensure the smooth functioning of the drainage system. Instead of using harsh chemicals that corrode the pipes, you should use a drain snake to remove the stuck items and debris.

In the rainy season, you can check the roof to remove fallen leaves and debris from the drain pipe. Also, you can install gutter guards to prevent the leaves from clogging the pipe. Pouring leftover oil in the drain pipe leads to grease buildup in the pipes, which often causes blockage and clogging.

Any irregular spike in the water bill without additional water use points to a hidden water leak or damage. You can invest in an affordable pressure gauge to check the water pressure in the drain and supply pipe. This way, you can prevent accidental pipe bursts with early detection of high pressure. If you have solid copper pipes running across the home, you should replace them with corrosion-resistant PEX pipes.

Final thoughts

The key takeaway of the above guide is to emphasize the importance of a proactive approach to prevent and limit water damage. This way, the homeowners can timely call the professionals before a minor leak turns into a massive basement flooding or collapsed ceiling.

We urge you not to prolong or ignore a water leak before it causes irreparable damage to your property. If you don’t want to compromise on the structural integrity of your home, you should schedule an appointment with Garden City Water Damage Repair services.