Successful efforts to prevent water damage are always preferable to even the most effective water damage recovery procedures after the fact. Once a water inundation occurs, a certain amount of damage is a fait accompli and many options are eliminated. Professional water damage remediation becomes inevitable.
Intervening before water affects your home, however, puts you in a proactive position with many more alternatives to preserve your premises and possessions.
Here are three steps to prevent water damage in the home:
- Become water aware. Don't let small leaks or drips continue without addressing them. They're often harbingers of major ruptures to come. Pressure-limiting devices in the water meter may lose effectiveness over time. Have a plumber check your home water pressure. Place water detection alarms in parts of the home that are vulnerable to plumbing leaks, like laundry rooms. Familiarize yourself with normal water usage as shown on your monthly water bill and take note of any unexplained increases that may indicate hidden leaks.
- Take a tour. Less-traveled areas of the home may be particularly vulnerable to hidden water damage. By the time it's discovered, damage in these unseen areas may be extensive. Make a point of regularly checking out areas like the attic, crawl space, basement and garage to look for signs of present or potential leakage and take preventive action, as required.
- Check out the appliances. Flexible lines that connect the washing machine, dishwasher, icemaker or other appliance to a house water supply line have a finite life span. A cracked or ruptured line can leak hundreds of gallons into your house, particularly if you're not home when it happens. Inspect the lines twice a year. Consider replacing rubber water supply hoses with more dependable braided stainless steel.
For more ways to prevent water damage, contact Rytech Inc.
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