Heavy rains and broken plumbing are the primary sources of water damage in homes. Although you have no control over the rain, preventative measures and maintenance can prepare your home to resist a flood or warn you about a broken pipe. The following tips will defend your home from water damage.
1. Maintain gutters and downspouts
Ten litres of water hit every square metre of your roof during 1 cm of rainfall. All that water goes over the edge toward your home’s foundation unless you have gutters to direct it away from the building. Clogged gutters allow water to overflow alongside the foundation where it can pool and penetrate your structure. To avoid this problem, keep gutters clean. Installing gutter guards will slow the build-up of debris. Downspouts with insufficient extensions may leave the water too close to your home as well. A long downspout extension will deposit the flow farther away so that it does not overwhelm the subterranean foundation drains.
2. Shut off the water supply during long absences
If no one is going to be home for a long period of time, turning off the main water supply to the home eliminates the possibility of a leak. If you’re away and a power outage hits during a cold snap, pipes could freeze and burst. Shutting off the water prevents this scenario.
A small leak can develop at any time, as well. The connection between a refrigerator and its water supply line is particularly vulnerable. If that drips water for days or weeks, considerable flooding could occur throughout your home.
3. Install electronic water detectors
Small electronic sensors designed to find moisture can help you catch a water problem that you might not notice for a long time. Put these devices behind a water heater, by a sump pump, or near the washing machine so that you will know very quickly if moisture starts to collect in unseen areas.
Whether a natural disaster or a plumbing problem causes a flood, it requires immediate attention. Without a thorough clean up, lingering moisture will trigger mould growth and structural rot.
Total Restoration Services Inc. in Kelowna has state-of-the-art drying equipment and clean up crews that can respond 24 hours a day. Call us right now for help.