ServiceMaster by Rice Wants to Help You Prevent Water Damage in Your Home
Water damage in your home can be very expensive to fix. A small leak can quickly turn into a large problem. For example, an extended leak from a refrigerator onto the floor and the wall behind it may require drywall repair, the subfloor beneath the fridge may need to be completely replaced, and mold may have begun to grow and procreate because of the damp, fertile environment the leak would provide. These issues can be costly, as well as unhealthy to live with. However, we’ve compiled a list of some easy steps you can take in order to avoid water damage in your home.
Inspect Your Household Appliances
The first step to preventing water damage is to check the hoses on all of your household appliances that ever use water. These appliances include refrigerators and dishwashers, water heaters and air conditioning systems, and washing machines and dryers.
Hoses must be firmly attached to the appropriate connector. It is also important to regularly check the hoses and connections in order to make any immediate necessary repairs or replacements to worn out hoses.
Check the Pipes
Be aware of your pipes and plumbing. Frequently check your bathtubs, showers, sinks and toilets for any drainage issues, unusual noises, puddles of water or dampness. Look for cracks or holes where water may leak through, and make sure you seal any that you discover right away.
Most plumbing and pipes are not readily visible, so a key element of discovering burst or leaky pipes is to keep a lookout for water stains. Water stains don’t just appear on old ceiling tiles, they can also show up on walls and flooring.
Bathtub and Shower Caulking
Every couple of years the caulking around bathtubs and showers needs to be redone. Whether you as a homeowner do it yourself or if you hire a professional to take care of the job, removing the old caulk and adding in the new is essential to preventing water damage.
Watch the Roof and Clear the Gutters
Your roof is never really protected from the elements, which means that it may deteriorate more quickly than the rest of your home. In order to prolong the life of your roof, and by extension prevent leaks and water damage within your house, periodically check up on the materials above you. See if there are fissures or openings that need to be mended.
Cleaning your rain gutters isn’t exactly a fun job, but keeping them clear from excess dirt and debris will help avoid a dam effect. A clogged, poorly drained rain gutter can become the source of water damage along the roof and ceiling that section of gutter is connected to.
Get to Know Your Main Water Valve
In the case of a water emergency, such as a pipe bursting or uncontrollable leaking from a household appliance, knowing where the main water valve is and being able to easily turn it off is invaluable to containing a potential disaster. If you can turn off the main water valve in a timely manner, you may be able to greatly reduce the water damage in your home.
Help Prevent Mold and Condensation with Proper Ventilation
In general most of us have experienced condensation within our homes. When the temperature outside is lower than the temperature inside our house and there isn’t enough ventilation to even out the difference, condensation will happen. For example, the glass on your bathroom window becomes covered by a thick coating of condensation after a hot shower on a cold night. Keeping a window open or even cracked just a bit can greatly help with airflow within your home. Ventilation is important not just because molds thrive in warm, damp environments (like a bathroom with condensation), but also because condensation itself can warp and damage wooden structures like your floors and walls. Don’t rely on DIY techniques to properly remove mold, contact SErviceMaster By Rice for proper mold removal.
If Water Damage Does Happen, ServiceMaster by Rice is Here for You
Sometimes things just happen and there is nothing we can do to prevent it. A pipe may burst without warning, or someone may break into your house while you are on vacation and steal all your valuables and then plug your sinks and turn on the faucets. Things happen. If water damage is something you have recently had to deal with, call your Iowa water damage experts at ServiceMaster by Rice at 515-274-9109. We are here to help.
The following sites were used for reference:
http://www.homecoach-usa.com/3-steps-to-prevent-water-damage-in-your-home/
http://www.rbcinsurance.com/insuranceneeds/water-damage-infographic.html
