Preventing Water Damage in Your Home

Knowing the warning signs for water daamge in and around your home can help you avoid disaster and save big on repair bills. Sometimes water damage is unavoidable and you are simply at the mercy of mother nature, but there are many instances where the threat for water damage can be identified and stopped.

Knowing what to look for is the key. In the sections below, we will discuss common causes of water damage and what you can do to identify and correct these issues before they become major problems.

Avoiding Water Backups

Water backups occur when the water around the foundation of your home exceeds the capacity of the systems designed to carry water away from your home. This can occur in gutters, sewage lines, basements, and in appliances that use water.

To prevent water backups from your gutters, regularly inspect and clean your gutters and downspouts. Extend downspots at least ten feet away from the house and adjust your landscaping in a way that directs water away from the house.

To prevent sewage backup into the home, install backflow valves and standpipes at all basement drain locations.

Install a sump pump in your basement if you do not have one already and regularly test it to make sure that it is working properly.

Maintaining Appliances

Appliances can leak for a number of reasons: aging materials, improper connections, and ruptured hoses are the most common causes for leaks. Water damage from these issues can be prevented by conducting regular checks for damage or wear and tear, and repalcing worn out items before they cause problems.

Water heaters, washing machines, refrigerators with water lines, toilets, sinks, and dishwashers are the most common culprits for appliance leaks in the home. Inspect hoses and pipes for loose or corroded connections. You should also inspect seals for signs of wear and tear or damage.

Many issues are easy DIY repairs, but if you would prefer to leave it to a professional, have annual inspections from a certified plumber.

Preventing Ice Dams

Ice dams, although not a common issue in the Gulf Coast region where we are located, are major problems in some areas.

Ice dams occur when melting ice and snow refreeze above the eaves of your roof and subsequent melting backs up under shingles. This can cause interior leaks and water damage to your walls and ceilings.

Ice dams can easily be prevented with clean gutters, proper sealing on roof pipes, chimneys, attic hatches, and light fixtures, and adequate insulation in your roof and attic.

Preventing Frozen Pipes

Like ice dams, frozen pipes are not a big issue in the Gulf Coast region, but they can certainly occur in properties that are poorly insulated.

When the temperatures drop below freezing, water pipes in poorly insulated structures can freeze. When water freezes, it expands and can lead to bursting pipes. This is actually a very easy problem to prevent. All you need to do is wrap an insulating material around pipes, especially rhose close to outside walls, in attics, crawlspaces, or unheated basements. Air leaks should also be sealed in areas surrounding pipes like those around exterior faucets and sprinkler systems.

 Water Damage Repair in the Gulf Coast Region

If you have already fell victim to water damage, we can help! Action Restoration is fully licensed to perform water damage restoration in Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi. We have years of experience and the most advanced water damage restoration equipment available today.

If you have experienced water damage in TX, AL, MS, or LA, contact us today for an estimate. We can handle your water damage restoration from beginning to end, and even take care of the insurance paperwork for you!

(800) 760-9081

Sidebar Form

why choose us Action Restoration
Nationwide Disaster Response (service all states except Alaska and Hawaii)
24/7 service
Own the highest performing/largest inventory of commercial water drying equipment available
All training done in-house
Specialize in commercial, industrial, maritime, and offshore (drilling industry) markets
Professionalism and quality of work
Left Arrow
Right Arrow