Water damage is the number #1 threat to your home’s foundation. It can be an awful experience especially when you are not sure what steps you must take to address the problem. Leaky appliances, flooding and pipe leaks can happen when you least expect it. These situations can disrupt your home’s environment and water damage is the last thing you want to deal with.
Water damage hits the core of your house and eventually causes serious structural damage. You must prevent water damage from occurring to save the integrity of your home. Here’s how you can prevent water damage following five simple tips.
1. Roof Check
Do a visual check of your roof at least twice a year to ensure that there aren’t any signs of deterioration. Check for curling, cracked or missing shingles as these can be early signs that your roof needs repairs. If not repaired, in case of rain, the water can come into your house from the damaged roof resulting in massive damage.
2. Maintain Good Drainage
Poor drainage can weaken the foundation of your home, causing cracks and pathways through which water can enter. Clean your gutters regularly, otherwise, on a rainy day, a clogged gutter may send water spilling into the foundation of your home.
3. Be Careful with Planting
Some plants and trees have very sturdy roots that go deep into the soil. If you are not careful with where you plant them, they’ll grow right into your drainage pipes, septic tanks and sprinkler system. Plan before you begin to plant trees to keep the water lines safe from the roots.
4. Don’t Use Unclogging Chemicals
No matter how much you clean the sinks, clogs will eventually happen. Some people prefer using powerful drain cleaning chemicals to quickly get rid of the clogs. But what they do not realize is that these chemicals are eating away the pipes.
If you use chemicals regularly, you’re inviting water damage yourself. A drain snake is a good alternative to clear the clogs. They’ll get rid of any clogs without damaging the pipes.
5. Test Your Sump Pump
If you own a sump pump, you should test it regularly to make sure that the check valve is functioning right and water is being pumped out of the sump pit and not flowing back in the basement.
To test the pump, fill the sump pump pit with water. This extra water should trigger the check valve and pump should turn on and start pumping water out. If the pump is not working fine, have it fixed to prevent massive water damage.
If you follow these simple tips you can avoid potential water damage in your home. But, sometimes, despite all your efforts, water damage may still occur due to unforeseen circumstances like a flood.
In case that ever happens, contact Superior Restoration as their technicians can provide emergency restoration services to handle water damage in your home.
