How to Prevent Water Damage in Your Home-Part 2 There are some simple steps you can take to avoid serious water problems. 1. Monitor your water bill and check for unexplained fluctuations. 2. Turn off your main water line when leaving your home for an extended period of time 3. Never leave the house with appliances such as dishwashers, or washers and dryers still operating. 4. Clean gutters regularly and make sure they are in good repair. 5. Take extra steps in the winter to keep pipes from freezing. Keep temperatures high enough so pipes in the wall don’t freeze. Wrap pipes that are not insulated and use thermostatically controlled heat tape to prevent freezing. Follow manufacture’s instruction for safe installation. 6. To check for hidden leaks, turn off all faucets and water using appliances, and do not flush toilets for one hour. Record your water meter reading. If the flow indicator is spinning or the meter reading changes in that hour while no water was being used, a leak probably exists. 7. Know where your water shutoff valves are. If the hot water tank or pipe should develop a leak, the first thing you’ll need to do is stop the flow of water. Make certain all family members know this location as well. Knowing in advance will make the job much faster. Most homeowner’s policies cover damage from accidents and failures such as damage from a burst pipe. What is not usually covered is damage caused by an overall lack of ongoing maintenance in your home. Most water damage starts with a simple leak or drips and can be prevented, if you know what to look for. Routine checks may help catch problems before they happen. Taking time to regularly complete this list of helpful tips can potentially save you lots of headaches and a bunch of money. Check back next week to see how to deal with small or big problems after they have been discovered. nickreams
Posted on: Fri, 17 Jan 2014 16:02:59 +0000
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