29 Dec Outstanding Ideas On Preventing Water Damage In Your Home
Most homeowners want to avoid water damage. Water should only be contained within the structure of the building in a controlled manner. This includes supply pipes, drain pipes and sinks. Water should never run dry in crawlspaces or basements, floors, walls, or floors.
It is possible to avoid water damage by making simple repairs.
What happens to homes when water is present?
Water damage does not always happen as a result of extreme events such as floods or hurricanes. Pinhole-sized water leakages in pipes, poor graded soil, blocked gutters or a sump pump refusing to turn on can often ruin homes.
Many water damages are caused by easily remediable flaws that many do-it-yourselfers can resolve well in advance.
A house that has water damage can become a disaster. Even a small leak can cause irreparable damage to drywall and studs. It can also lead to black mold and weaken structural elements such as beams and joists. It is important to stop water leaks before they start.
Water damage can also affect your financial position. The majority of repairs can be covered by homeowner’s insurance.
However, homeowners will still have to pay out of pocket for repairs due to deductibles or coverage limits. It is better to deal with potential problems early.
Safety considerations
Some of the recommended repairs and inspections will require you to be on your roof. You should use a ladder to reach the roof, have someone to assist you if necessary, and wear shoes that are resistant to slippage. When working on the roof, you may want to wear a safety harness.
When should you call a professional Long Beach Water Damage Restoration Company?
You should not attempt to replace a roof shingle, copper tube, or repair a chimney without the help of licensed professionals.
Pay attention to the Downspouts
Water is collected from gutters by downspouts that bring it down to the house’s side. It’s a simple idea that works well. However, downspouts which run parallel to the ground can cause water to flow alongside the foundation.
Rainwater that is pushed at such high volumes quickly erodes soil around the house. It can also leak into the foundation, causing severe damage.
Caulking that is missing or cracked must be replaced
You can stop leaks from occurring around doors and windows for as little as a tube of exterior grade caulking.
If the weather is good, take a tour of your exterior to check for missing or cracked caulk. You should pay particular attention to the window casing’s top, as water can build up.
Every crack you find must be repaired. There is no good or acceptable crack. Look inside for signs of water damage such as termite activity, mold spots, cracked plaster or drywall, and bubbled paint.
The Exterior Soil should be rated
The ground next to the house should be inclined as it touches and nears the foundation walls. Pooled water will be caused by ground that slopes towards the house. The foundation can be reached at this point by the pooled water. Or, it can seep down and reach the basement floor.
Re-grade the soil to make it slope away from the foundation wall. This is an easy and cost-effective solution. You will be better off if you move the slope further away from your house. You should compact the soil to encourage water to flow along the top, and not into it.
Examine the Roof
Your house is likely to suffer water damage if it does not have a weather-tight roofing. Roof systems that leak can happen in a variety of ways, even if there is no catastrophic roof collapse.
Set up a ladder on top of your house to inspect and repair any roof shingles that could allow water to enter the home. You should also look out for dead or damaged tree limbs.
Keep the gutters clean and maintained
Gutters and downspouts are similar to the pipes in your house. They move water off your roof away from your foundation. Water that has accumulated in the gutters can cause soil erosion and damage to the foundation. Water can leak through foundation walls, causing damage to floors and walls.
Cleaning gutters and downspouts at least once a year will help to avoid water damage. This is for the cost of hiring a worker or purchasing an extension ladder.
Clear away ice dams in winter. To prevent water from leaking into your attic and backing up on your roof, add ice dam protection.
Keep your drains healthy and flowing
Sinks are designed to collect water and then divert it to the sewer main via waste pipes. Each part of this system must work perfectly. Sink cabinets can be flooded if wastewater is not properly functioning. Worse, branches leading to the drain–waste-vent (or DFWV) may leak between floors and inside walls. Make sure your drains and sinks are in good condition.
- Do not pour grease down the drain.
- Regular cleaning is a good way to keep drains clean.
- Keep a strainer on the sink and tub drains.
- You should clean the strainer often and dispose of the waste in the trash.
- Check that the tub’s drain is not leaking.
- Check every drain trap in the sink cabinets.
Inspect the Chimney and Make Repairs
Leakage and water damage can occur in any opening in the outer shell of your home. The chimney, a large opening, is not weather-sealed in the same way as doors or windows.
Rainwater that falls through uncapped chimneys, especially the sides, beyond the flashing chimney, can cause significant damage to the attic, walls and floors.
- Make sure your chimney cap is correctly attached.
- To ensure that water does not pass between the flashings and the chimney, a contractor or chimney technician should inspect them.
- You can have the chimney mortar repointed sealed by a qualified mason, or you can do it yourself.
- Repair cracks on the chimney brick mortar.
Check your water pressure for leaks
An electronic water leak detection system, which is installed directly on the main water supply to your home, is a more modern way to check for water loss. The sensors monitor water flow, temperature, pressure and pressure. Before they do too much damage, leaks and burst pipes can be caught.
Keep the Sump Pump topped off
A Sump pump is usually located in the basement.
When the water rises in the circular sump pit, the buoyant float triggers the electrically-connected motor, signaling it to start pumping water out of the home. A sump pumps works in the same way as a boat’s pump. It takes water out of areas that aren’t suitable for it.
- Check that your pump is connected to the GFCI electric outlet. Make sure the pump turns on.
- Ensure that the circuit breaker connected to the sump pump GFCI remains on. Older circuit breakers for arc fault protection may not work. These breakers can fail so keep an eye out and replace them as necessary.
- Pumps can sometimes tip over accidentally so make sure your sump pump is standing straight up and that the floating device is functioning.
- You can check that the sump pump moves water by pouring water in the sump pit.
Change from Copper Pipes to PEX Pipes
Pinhole leaks can occur in copper pipes that have been used for many decades in homes. This is especially true if they are older than twenty years. Soldering copper joints can fail, just like any other type of plumbing joint.
Even though the copper pipe is not sealed, corrosion can lead to silent, but constant leaks. These drips can cause damage to ceilings and walls.
You can replace copper pipes with corrosion-free PEX pipes to ensure that your home is free from pinhole leaks. Re-plumbing a whole house is costly and time-consuming. You can however, progressively replace copper sections for PEX as long as you have access to a ceiling and wall. PEX can also be mated with copper.
You will soon learn how to use PEX and it will be relatively easy to get your PEX-related tools and materials out and replace a section.