How to avoid Water Damage in your Home

1/10/2023 (Permalink)

How to Avoid Water Damage in your Home

Water damage is one of the most common and costly home repairs, so it's important to know how to prevent it. Water damage can happen in any room of your house, from the basement to the attic. In this article, we'll look at some of the most common sources of water damage and how to protect against them.

Check your roof.

The roof is the most common source of water damage in a home, so it's important to check for leaks and make repairs if necessary. Look for signs of damage, such as:

• Missing or damaged shingles
• Missing or damaged flashing (metal pieces that protect the edges of your roof)
• Damaged gutters or downspouts
• Soffit (the material that covers the underside of your eaves) or fascia (the flat surface overhanging your windows)

Keep an eye on your sump pump.

Sump pumps are small units installed in your basement to collect water, and they’re powered by electricity. But if they fail, or if debris gets sucked into the system, they can cause major problems — even flooding your Cleveland, FL home.

You should have a backup sump pump that isn’t as susceptible to damage as others because it’s not running all day long (you should only run this during heavy rains). It will also be easier for you to maintain since it doesn’t need constant cleaning and repair due to debris build-up. And if there's ever an issue with your primary pump (like when it fails), having a backup will prevent any potential damage from occurring until repairs can be made.

You should have an inspection done every few years on both types of pumps: primary and backup.

Protect your walls.

The best way to protect your walls from water damage is by using a moisture meter. You may have heard of these before, but what are they and how can they help you avoid water damage?

A moisture meter is an instrument used to measure the amount of moisture in your home’s walls and floors. By finding out where the moisture is coming from and how much water damage has occurred, you can determine whether renovating or repairing existing structures in your home will prevent future problems with mold growth or other types of rot.

This tool will allow you to identify areas that need attention so that they don’t cause further damage or illness as time goes on. A professional technician would be able to use this information when planning repairs or renovations.

Inspect the outside of your home.

• Inspect the outside of your home. A leaky roof or foundation can lead to mold, which will cause considerable damage if left unchecked. Look for water damage on the exterior walls and check gutters and downspouts for clogs — if there are any, clear them out so that water can flow freely away from your home.
• Repair any leaks in windows or doors quickly; this will keep water from seeping into your walls as well as prevent mold growth inside your house.

Be aware of appliances.

There are several things you can do to avoid water damage in your home. First, be aware of appliances. Here are some ways that appliances can cause water damage:

• Overloading outlets with too many devices. If you overload an outlet, the circuit breaker will trip or the fuse will blow and stop power from reaching the circuit. This can cause damage to the appliance and result in a fire hazard.
• Leaving appliances on when not in use (like a dishwasher). Appliances like washing machines can leak if they're left running for too long without being emptied or unplugged first. Be sure to turn off any unused appliances before leaving homes for extended periods of time.

Check your pipes.

When you check your pipes, look for leaks. If you find one, be sure to turn off the water supply before attempting repairs. If you don't know how to do this, call a professional plumber — the last thing you want is for the leak to get worse while your doors are open and exposed.

Next, check if any of your old pipes need replacing. You can tell if this is necessary when they're corroded or leaking. If so, make sure to use copper pipes rather than PVC or lead ones: copper won’t corrode as easily over time and will keep your home safer from flooding caused by broken plumbing systems during storms.

Clean up spills quickly.

• Clean up spills quickly. You should mop up small messes as soon as possible to avoid any damage from mold or mildew. If you have hardwood floors, vacuum them immediately with a soft brush attachment to get rid of dust, dirt and sand that can scratch your flooring over time.
• Protect electronic devices. It's best to keep your electronic devices off when it rains because they are more susceptible to water damage in wet conditions; however, if you do need to use them during a storm, make sure they're plugged in, so you don't have any power surges during weather events!
• Check gutters regularly for clogging debris such as leaves or branches that could result in flooding inside your home if left unchecked over time due to clogged gutters overflowing onto sidewalks/driveways below neighbors' homes who may not be able to see this happening until too late.

Knowing how to prevent water damage is half the battle.

Water damage is not only unpleasant to deal with, but it can also be expensive to repair. This is especially true if you have a basement or crawlspace and experience flooding during heavy rainstorms. If you know how to prevent water damage in your home, you can save yourself from having to pay for repairs down the road. The first thing that needs doing before any type of water damage occurs is making sure all appliances are working properly and are turned off when not in use. You should also keep an eye on those faucets and make sure they aren't leaking anywhere in the house by checking them regularly for drips or leaks.

If you do discover any leaks or drips around your house, try fixing them immediately instead of waiting until later because this will reduce the chance of bigger problems occurring later down the road

Water damage is a common problem, and it can be difficult to avoid if you aren’t prepared. But by following these tips and getting to know your Cleveland, FL home better, you’ll have a much better chance of stopping water damage before it happens. If you have water damage call SERVPRO of North Fort Myers, we are here to help!