Water Damage Woes
As we’ve trudged through our Victorian farmhouse renovation, we’ve found more than our fair share of leaky pipes and roof leaks. Water damage is one of the biggest problems that homeowners will face. It can be exceptionally problematic for your home when it does, as it can be very expensive to rectify the problem and repair the damage. A big issue is that it can sometimes go undetected for a very long time. By the time you do finally discover it, the damage could be substantial. So, as you can probably already tell, your best course of action is to try and prevent this kind of damage from happening in the first place. Here are some of the best preventative measures you could take.
Waterproof Problem Areas
First of all, you should contact a firm like Helitech Online that can take care of waterproofing problem areas in your home. As you can see from the pics above, ignoring a water leakage problem will only make it worse. In our case, the former owners did just that and the entire back wall of our house had to be replaced, including the balcony. Basements are particularly prone to water damage as rainwater could easily pool into it. You might find that any old outbuildings, sheds, and work shops are also a high risk when it comes to rain damage. Thankfully, waterproofing can prevent this.
Keep Your Gutters Clear
It’s also a good idea to check your gutters once a month to make sure that there aren’t any blockages that could be preventing the rainwater from flowing down into the drain. If there is something blocking the water, the gutters could very quickly overflow. This can make that water run up under your shingles and then drip down your property’s walls, which can definitely lead to mold and ultimately weaken the integrity of wall itself. Ignoring this one easy, no cost step, could cost you thousands in the long run.
Disconnect Hoses When Not in Use
Be very mindful of the fact that even your water hoses and sprinkler systems can cause an expensive repair if it’s not winterized. When the weather gets toward winter, remember to drain your sprinkler system and turn it off. Insulate the valve as well. You should also disconnect your water hoses from the spigot. If you’re able to store the hose inside a shed while connected, freezing temps could freeze that standing water. When water freezes, it expands. All of this pressure could cause the water hose to burst, and you might end up with a flooded shed. So, be sure to disconnect all of your hoses and drain your sprinkler systems. Trust me on the sprinkler systems. It didn’t damage inside the house- but the bill to repair the system.. geez!
Insulate Your Pipes
This is very similar to the problems we discussed above. When the temperatures drop in winter, water in pipes also runs the risk of freezing and causing the pipes to burst. Of course you have to have water in the pipes that supply water to your home, so these must be insulated. If not, this could be a disaster in your home! The pipes inside your home’s walls should be fine because the walls are insulated. But the connections start outside your house and depending on the age of your home and foundation type, you may well have exposed pipes. You can buy special pipe tubing insulation that you clip around the pipes that will protect them and keep them from bursting. They can be found in most DIY stores.
Keep An Eye On Appliances
Don’t forget to keep checking any appliances that use water as well, such as your dishwasher and washing machine. These are often prone to leaking the older they get. Make sure you check them so you can spot any drips that could potentially become bigger pools of water. Check the wall behind your washing machine about once a month. You could have a sneaky slow leak in a hose that’s not enough to make a noticeable puddle in the floor. But it could be soaking your drywall and silently be causing the need for expensive repairs.
Put a monthly reminder in the calendar of your smart phone that will alert you that it’s time to check the areas of your home that could lead to leaks and repairs. Hopefully, all of these preventative measures will help you stop any water damage in your home.
*Collaborative Post