On average, the annual cost that insurance companies pay for water damage and mold is 2.5 billion dollars. That is an insane amount of money.
Luckily, preventing water damage isn’t that hard. In fact, there are a lot of little things you can do that will save you a lot of money and heartache in the future. Here are 7 little changes that will make a big difference when it comes to protecting your home from water damage.
1. Perform Regular Maintenance
The easiest thing you can do to protect your home from water damage is to perform regular maintenance. Many leaks and much water damage are caused by things that should have been fixed a long time ago. Prevent water damage from occurring by performing regular maintenance.
Check Drains and Gutters
One part of regular maintenance is inspecting your gutters and drainage. If these items are backed up, water can easily damage the walls and roof of your building. The last thing you want is for water to build up on your roof, causing water to leak through.
Clear Off the Roof
To further ensure that your roof stays intact, make sure to clean it off. Snow and ice should especially be cleared off. These items are heavy, which can cause ice dams and leakage.
Inspect the Water Heater
Water heaters are a huge source of water damage. Since water heaters house a lot of water, make sure yours is running correctly. You will want a plumber to inspect your water heater regularly for optimal performance. If these items break, you will be out of hot water and surely experience water damage!
Inspect Other Appliances
There are other appliances you should inspect in your home too. For example, pay attention to your toilet and bathroom in general. Just make sure nothing is leaking. Also, replace any hoses or appliances when they show wear.
Air ducts can also show signs of water damage, though they can be dangerous or difficult to access. There are also health benefits that come from clean air ducts.
Performing regular maintenance will really only take a couple minutes out of your week. Yet, it can save you a whole lot of money if you catch leakage fast. If you know when to power wash your home or building, you can go above and beyond and clean things up while you are at it.
2. Keep the Building Warm (Enough)
When water freezes, it forces pipes to expand. When this happens, you run the risk of breaking your pipe. This can cause little cracks that may be unnoticeable at first but cause great water damage in the future.
One way to keep this from happening is to make sure that your building is kept warm. Make sure that your home is never below 50 degrees, even when you are out of the office for several days, such as on the weekend. Replace batteries frequently so that the thermostats are operating properly.
Obviously, you don’t have to keep your house super hot. After all, heating your house costs a lot of money. Just keep it warm enough so that way the pipes don’t freeze and bust.
3. Insulate Exposed Pipes
At night or during the winter, temperatures can drop, causing exposed pipes to freeze. As we discussed in the second tip, frozen pipes are susceptible to breaking, causing leaks and water damage in the future. For this reason, you should go an extra step to protect exposed pipes.
Make sure that all exposed pipes are properly insulated. This will keep them warm enough even when the temperature drops so that they don’t freeze. This installation will be an affordable alternative to the costly damage of flooding and busted pipes.
4. Seal Up Any Cracks ASAP
Cracks, holes, and gaps are super dangerous. Cracks can show in issue with the structure, and they will let your paid AC and heat escape, wasting your money. Not only that, but they make it much easier for the weather elements to penetrate the building’s exterior and cause water damage.
If you notice any types of cracks or gaps, make sure there is no structural issue first. In the case that structural damage has occurred, water damage restoration Austin services can help. If there’s not structural damage, simply seal up the cracks and gaps with caulk. Weather stripping and other sealants may also help protect your home and make it more energy efficient.
5. Know Where Your Shutoff Valve Is Located
Whenever a pipe breaks, water can accumulate super fast. You need to know where the shutoff valve is located so that way water doesn’t fill up in your home while you are looking for it. The shutoff valve will help you turn off the flow of the water in your building. Hence, you can prevent flooding while you try to fix the problem.
6. Keep Valuable Items Off the Ground
No matter how many preventative measures you take, flooding and water damage can still happen. Be ready for this by keeping all valuable possessions off the ground. This won’t protect the structure from damage, but it will be a great idea if you have irreplaceable objects like antiques or photos you want to keep. Placing them off the ground lessens the chance of water ever reaching them.
7. Get Flood Insurance
Another way to be prepared for the worst is to get flood insurance. A lot of people don’t realize that most residential insurance plans do not cover water damage caused by floods. To ensure that your insurance covers all water damage, make sure you get flood insurance, especially if you live in somewhere where floods occur frequently.
Conclusion
Since water damage can be so costly, taking a few extra minutes to rearrange your home or create some plans can really save you a lot in the future. Though these tips won’t guarantee that flood damage won’t occur, they can help you out a lot.
If you do find that your home has a leak or a flood, contact Quick Dry Austin. They can help you dry out your building and restore any damages created in the process.
