Avoiding residential water damage.
Residential water damage from a plumbing issue is one of the most common yet often preventable disasters that can befall a homeowner. With a few simple steps we can greatly reduce our odds of being swept away from a tsunami from within.
Here are the basics:
– Anytime you will be away from home for several days or more shut off the water to the house at the water main valve outside. Pipes and fittings under pressure are subject to rupture without warning sometimes causing thousands of dollars of damage. Not sure where your shut off is? Its worth having a professional come out to show you. And of course check that outside irrigation lines do not stop working if the water main is off if shutting for an extended period of time.
– Upgrade those old washing machine hoses to stainless steel jacketed hoses. This is an easy replacement that is often overlooked because the hoses are out of sight behind the machine, but these hoses are under pressure and can break without warning to flood the entire house.
– Shut the hot and cold valves for the washing machine when not in use. Even if the hoses are in perfect shape the internal water valve inside the machine can fail resulting in just as huge a flood.
– Look at the pipes under each sink, especially the vertical pipes toward the rear. Note any tell-tale signs of rust or corrosion and replace any pipes or fittings that show the same. Pipes that are potentially weak often give you a visual warning.
– Replace any plastic water supply pipes under sinks (the thinner vertical ones toward the rear) stainless steal pipes.
– Replace your water heater if it is over 10 years old. Even though it may still be working fine the internal components begin to wear over time and can rupture without warning.
– Pay attention to any new sounds from drains and toilets or changes in the toilet water level and call us to inspect. Sometimes a sewer line backup will give an advance warning.
The Home Doctor 