17 Sep When Does the Most Water Damage Occur in Homes?
Leaky plumbing and old appliances are just a couple of the reasons that water damage can occur in your home. There are even outside sources that can cause problems such as water mains bursting and flooding apartments and businesses. Water damage is a very devastating occurrence in a home. It can cost thousands of dollars in repairs, even for a small leak that you noticed right away. While some insurance companies provide coverage for these types of issues, many repairs may fall on your shoulders as the homeowner. Let’s take a look at some of the most common reasons that water damage occurs in a home these days.
When Renovating
A home renovation is a great way to update your home and increase its overall value. Renovations can also set you up for water damage if you don’t pay close attention to potential problems. If you are renovating a bathroom, there could be a problem when moving certain water hookups. You might not notice right away that water has been seeping into the subfloor or your basement. In addition to your contractors working on the job, you’ll end up having to hire a water damage remediation company to help with the cleanup. Make sure that you hire a reputable professional in your area to complete the work properly. Hiring anyone off the street could result in poor craftsmanship that puts you at risk of damage in your home. Don’t try to save a few dollars. Make sure everything is done right the first time.
Spring’s a Nightmare
When the snow melts and spring starts to emerge, there is a big thaw that typically takes place. All of the water that comes from the built-up snow piles around the yard can cause water pooling near your foundation, in your gutters, etc. The problem with this thaw is that snow and ice that hasn’t yet melted can cause the water to pool up in areas where it normally wouldn’t in the warmer months. Rain and snow leaking through are common problems on improperly fitted roof vents. You can keep an eye on your property when a big thaw is taking place. Remove snow by the shovel full if you notice a buildup in risky places. You want to prevent this pooling at all costs. Make sure your gutters are cleaned a couple of times each year and inspect your roof for snow buildup too. This will help keep water flowing freely, away from your home.
Bathroom Toilet, Sink, and Shower Leaks
The fixtures in your bathroom have water flowing through them each and every day. You might be able to notice a slow leak that is occurring from one of these faucets or in the upper bowl of your toilet. Don’t ignore the drips of water and get your sink, bathtub, or toilet repaired as soon as possible. You don’t always have the ability to spot a small and slow leak within the wall behind these areas. A slow drip into the wall can cause a huge growth of mold in just a couple of weeks. This repair job could be a total renovation of your bathroom. You can sometimes spot a slow leak by keeping an eye on your water bill. If you notice the amount going up suddenly, there could be something lurking within your walls that you’re unaware of.
Water Heater Leaks
Your water heater is a very convenient feature of your home that provides you with warm water when you bathe, shower, wash the dishes, etc. This is a unit that is very prone to breakages. Because most people have their tanks in their basement, you could lose insulation, drywall, and even family belongings if you store them down there. Water damage in your basement will require you to have a company come out to remove the water and get everything dried out. Even a small leak in the tank can cause a pretty big buildup of water in a day or two. Always stop down to your basement each day to make sure everything is running smoothly. Routine water heater maintenance is a great way to make sure your unit is running properly. It can go a long way towards preventing a tank from rupturing.
Sump Pump Disturbances
A sump pump is designed to remove water away from your home and keep it out of your basement. Unfortunately, this equipment can break just like anything else in your home. You might not even have a problem with the sump pump. If the power goes out and you don’t have a backup power source installed, it takes only a few hours for the water to start accumulating. People have lost everything in their basement because of a large storm in their area that caused excessive water backup and power failures. You can utilize a battery backup system that will automatically kick in when the power goes out in your home. Usually, an alarm will sound so you know that the backup has been initiated. Just to be safe, you can keep an eye on everything to make sure your backup unit is working.
If you have recently encountered water damage in your home, it’s important that you have the problem diagnosed and fixed as soon as possible. You can’t begin to repair the damage until the problem has been fixed completely. You might want to try contacting your homeowner’s insurance company before you start paying for the repairs yourself. Depending on your policy, there may be some coverage that you can utilize.
In general, make sure you keep an eye on your home each day. Weather, appliance breakdowns, and leaky plumbing are just some of the risks that you can have at any time when it comes to water damage. You might not be able to prevent everything, but some routine maintenance to your home here and there can be very beneficial if you want to prevent water damage.
If you are dealing with floods or water damage, let us help you!