To identify when your house has significant water damage, you don’t need to be a plumber. And as a homeowner, dealing with such problems may be excruciating.
A small leak might quickly saturate an entire room, and if the room is on the second floor of your house, it may also cause significant damage to the room below it.
A slower leak, on the other hand, might be a lot scarier because it can go unnoticed for a long time and cause more severe damage as a result of this. While the quantity of water may not be significant, the impact might still be significant.
If you’re a homeowner and these sorts of worries keep you up at night, there’s some good news: there are numerous techniques for homeowners to get ahead of any potential problems by being proactive. However, it is crucial to remember that you should address any plumbing difficulties as soon as possible, and be proactive with any potential hazards – beginning with the most prevalent in households.
Here are some ways that you can protect your home from water damage.
- Know where the water shut off valve is.
If there is a crisis and you need to control it, you need to cut off the water to you’re the problem area. To help in this matter, consider having an automatic shut off valve installed. It detects rapid leaks and automatically stops the flow.
- Leaky faucets
In the kitchen, bathroom and tub/shower will most definitely cause surrounding structural damage to the surrounding wood and insulation. There are connections at each of these locations; connections under pressure. While the faucets are obvious, the controlling valves are not always visible. If any water activity appears in areas not planned, repair the associated plumbing hardware as soon as possible.
- Replace a Deteriorated Wax Ring. (toilet)
Your toilet is held in place by a wax ring that seals it tightly to the floor. Over time, wax rings become brittle and start to come apart or come loose from the floor.
In a ground floor bathroom, one indication that this is starting to happen is a continuous odor around your toilet. If you see that your wax ring is cracking or yellow with age, have a plumbing professional install a new one.
- Don’t Ignore a Leaky Shower Head
If your shower head continues to drip water long after it’s shut off, it could mean that there’s a problem with your shower valve. Most shower valves are located behind the faucet handle inside of the wall, so it’s not exactly easy to see when there’s a problem. However, constantly dripping water or a problem adjusting your shower’s temperature setting may mean that the valve has been compromised.
In addition to a leak out of your shower head, there may also be a leak inside your wall. Replacing a valve will involve temporarily shutting off the water connection, so it’s best to get help from a professional plumber.
- Water Filter, Faucet Sprayers, Icemaker and dishwasher supply lines.
Some are under more pressure than others and are using various piping material. Ice makers and water filters will probably utilize plastic pipes. Sprayers will use their own hoses and dishwashers will use any of the above. There a number of connections in this array. From time to time, look at the floor of the cabinet under the sink for any evidence of water leaks.
- Prevent Clogs and Backups.
Putting items down your sinks or toilet that you know don’t belong there can cause clogs that are difficult to remedy. In fact, an excessive volume of solid materials could create a main drain backup, making every drain in your home unusable.
Paper towels and feminine hygiene products will quickly block your drain as they are not engineered to dissolve like toilet paper. Nothing should go down your kitchen sink unless you are using a garbage disposer. Food solids or grease will block your drain pipes. Don’t disregard the accumulation of body hair. It doesn’t easily break down and will create webbing that builds a blockage.
- Water Heater management.
Water Heaters are fed with water under pressure. Periodically, visit your water heater and follow the pipes leading to and from the tank. Take a quick for possible leaks. Look for a green stain on a copper pipe, there may be a leak. When copper is exposed to other elements, it can turn a pale green.
- Furnace
Condensation from unwrapped (uninsulated) duct work can drip during especially humid weather. While these drips do not create sudden damage, over a long period of time, they can weaken floor joists and possibly wall structures.
- Roofing concerns (Roofing and Guttering).
While this is not directly tied to plumbing, roof leaks and/or gutter damage can and will lead to significant structural damage if not remedied as soon as detected.
- Realize that any leak left unattended will not only damage any structural material within drip reach, it can cause:
- Mold
- Mildew
- Wood Rot
- Rust
- Pest Infestations
Don’t Take Risks, Work with The Best
If you have a plumbing problem in your home, don’t delay in getting help. Likewise, don’t procrastinate about replacing items that you suspect have aged out but have not yet failed.
When it comes to home water damage, don’t take any risks – it is important to work with a reputable and experienced professional. C&M Plumbers technicians are fully certified, highly trained and licensed. Our experts can perform all plumbing repairs. Their years of experience means the job is done quickly and efficiently.
