9 Effective Tips for Avoiding Water Damage In Your Home

You will be surprised that water damage is one of the most common and costly affairs most homeowners claim. No matter how much you prepare your home for water damage, there are various reasons which can cause water leaks and cause extensive damage.

In other words, water damage is the number one culprit that quickly weakens the home’s foundation, which holds the core of your home.

• A clog in a toilet
• A broken line under the sink
• The split hose which is connected to an appliance
• Natural disasters

Well, some of the water damage problems can be easily solved with DIY, but some of them need professionals to repair the water damage. Therefore, whenever you suspect that your home has been damaged by water for any reason, make sure you consult an expert as soon as possible so that the water does not cause structural damage to your home or business.

Apart from structural problems, leaking pipes can also develop mold or mildew, damaging the floor, walls, ceilings, and other things in the home. That’s why it becomes quite essential to address the issue immediately.

Now the main question arises how to avoid water damage in your home?

So, in order to get this answer let’s talk about nine practical tips which will help you to avoid water damage at home or business.

1. Check the appliances regularly

Every home these days have electrical appliances; ensure to check them often for leaks according to the manufacturers’ instruction manual. Moreover, upgrade the hoses of your washing machine or various other things to avoid the most reported cause of water loss and damage.

For example, inspect the water heater annually and stay updated with it. Moreover, notice any slow leaks, water pooling, etc.

2. Prevent pipes from freezing

To avoid this, use a smart thermostat to maintain a minimum temperature at the home of at least 10 degrees Celsius no matter if you are planning to go away from your home. The reason is that warm water can easily circulate through pipes to prevent freezing and avoid water damage. In addition to that, if you are not living in your property, ensure to turn off the water supply, and you can also consider draining the system so there is no water left in pipes.

3. Keep your plumbing in good condition

If you notice some leaks, increased humidity in some places, mold, you must act quickly and call a professional plumber for the repair. Moreover, ensure that you never pour grease or oil into your kitchen sink or the bathroom sink because it gets clogged, and it isn’t easy to unclog it. In addition to that, never use chemical products to unclog the drain as they can damage the pipes. If your home has a sump pump, check it periodically.

4. Ensure good drainage

It is true that poor drainage weakens the foundation, causes cracks, uneven settling, and many more problems. So, if you want to prevent water damage, there are various things you can do to avoid it. They are:

• Clean the gutters regularly as clogged gutters will send cascades of water downwards which damages the siding and foundation
• Ensure that your yard is sloped at least 6 inches and a 10-foot span away from the foundation. This step will keep water away from getting down to the foundation.
• Make sure your downspouts direct water 5 to 10 feet away from the house.

5. Install leak detectors

Leak detectors are electronic devices that quickly detect water and set the alarm when triggered. These days when you enter the market to buy these leak detectors, you will see various sizes and shapes along with advanced features. For example, many of them have:

• Temperature sensors
• Phone alerts
• Wi-fi capabilities
• Smart home integration

So, you must install detectors in areas like:

• Basement and attic
• Near the AC Unit
• Laundry room
• Water heater closet
• Washing machines
• Bathroom for the tub and toilet
• Near any water pipes

They help you in various ways like monitoring the presence of water, quickly detecting moisture in the air that can cause mold, and, on top of that, turning off the water supply in emergencies. If they detect it early, they can avoid water damage in the home.

6. Keep the gutters clean of debris

 No doubt leaves are the most common culprit of blocked gutters, and don’t think this problem is seasonal, and that means moss and weeds are routinely found in the gutters. So, if there is a passage of water down the side of your home and if the gutter appears to be sagging, then there are high chances that you can face the issue of water damage.

7. Monitor your water bill

If you want to avoid water damage in your home or business, check out the water bill regularly and also get an estimate of the average water usage every month. However, if you notice usage jumps significantly from one month to another, there are chances of a mystery water leak.

Some of the common causes of high water bills are:

• A leaking toilet
• A dripping faucet
• Filling a swimming pool
• Watering the lawn
• People being home for summer breaks
• Water-cooled AC Units
• Water cycling continuously
• Running water to prevent freezing of pipes

8. Maintain trees and shrubs

If you have trees and shrubs near your home’s pipes, make sure you must remove those that have grown big. Apart from that, do not let the soil get too dry in drought as a home can dry and shrink. In order to avoid this, make sure you run a soaker hose half a foot away from the foundation of the home and 3 inches to keep the soil from contracting and expanding.

Moreover, ensure you plant your trees at least 20 feet away from your home.

9. Look for areas of moisture or mold

Flaking paint or wallpapers can also be a sign of dampness. So, if your walls are cold to touch or the walls are smelling musty, then consider adding additional insulation.

Moreover, also check windows and skylights for condensation in the mornings.

Conclusion

These are some tips by which you can avoid water damage in your home or business. If you take care of the above things in your home or business, you will never face water damage problems in the future but ensure you take proper steps to avoid it. Apart from that, to avoid these mistakes, you are only calling professional people as they are highly skilled, experienced, and qualified in their field.

I hope this post will be pretty helpful for you in making your home damage-free from water.