6 Top Common Causes of Water Damage at Home

Did you know that Billions of dollars are spent each year in property losses and this is only a direct result of water damages. Yes, a single element that may not be as incinerating as fire, however could likewise ripple a huge cost in damage expenses. 40% of all homeowners have experienced loss just because of structural damage caused by water. Not only is it costly but is also a waste of water. Imagine, you can already waste 250 gallons of water from a 1/8-inch crack in a pipe if not noticed in a span of 24 hours.

Water damage in homes most typically comes from the following causes:

1.  Old and Leaky Roof

The problem with a leaking roof is that the damage has already been done before you even get to notice it. A common sign that your roof is leaking is that the ceiling has peeling paint or a deformation of your ceiling may be indicated easily. A common factor for a leaking roof is a damaged gutter. Acquiring a gutter guard can also greatly help to avoid clogging it up with debris and foliage. Sump pumps and vents are also handy to make sure the water will not

2.  Natural disasters

As it cannot be avoided, heavy storms, hurricanes, or even floods for homes that are living alongside the coastal area can highly likely to experience water from coming into your homes and cause water damage along with a huge and expensive cost for repairs. For flood-prone areas, raising stilts to block the water is a great help as well as water sensors that can set an alarm in case of flood. Not only do natural disasters cause structural damages in your homes but can also damage or even break your priced personal belongings so it is better to ensure safety precautions rather than suffering in the future.

3.  Unmaintained HVAC Units

You have to look out for your heaters, ventilator, and air conditioning system, if not, hire someone to maintain it for you every once in a while. Your HVAC units need to be maintained and cleaned or else you may notice some leaking of the air conditioning or foul smell due to lack of ventilation or heater. These machines will help you keep or maintain the desired temperature inside your home. If you don’t maintain them properly, these cooling and heating units can easily flood you and even cause water damage to top that.

4.  Appliances

As appliances help you big time in your everyday chores like cooking, preserving food, washing your dishes, and even cleaning your clothes—they can also come back at you if you will not maintain or clean them well. Most of the appliances at home have to deal with ice or water and with a slight change of the humidity or the environment, it can cause flooding inside the home and you don’t want that.

Aside from the ones mentioned above, make sure to clean after these appliances from time to time:

  • Dish washer
  • Water dispenser
  • Washing machine

5.  Old Hoses

Old hoses especially in your washing machine can flood you at least 6 gallons of water once it leaks. Make sure to inspect and maintain the washing machine hose from time to time. Another hose inside the home would be from the faucet if you are using a kitchen faucet pull down sprayer, although it has a lesser risk of flooding since it is within the sink, just make sure that your hoses are intact and can still handle running water pretty well before it runs down our home and cause expensive damages.

6.  Broken Sump Pumps

Your sump pump, if not checked properly, can cause flooding in your basement. Water can easily flood the bottom part of the house as dictated by gravity. Make sure that you keep it standing up and the vents to properly work well for you to successfully dispose of the water coming into your basement that may cause stagnant water, molds, and even a spread of bacteria if not clean efficiently after.

How to Protect Your Home From Water Damage?

After knowing the major possible factors that can cause flooding in your home, we have delegated a few helpful steps to fix and prevent water from coming into your home that may cause structural damage and  ruin your belongings. Water damage is highly affected by the plumbing of your home such as broken pipes, clogged toilets and drains, or even worse could be natural disasters.

These water emergencies are hard to handle as water can easily flood you once there is already a leak. With the right precautions, residential water damage can be eliminated and here are helpful steps to do:

  • Make sure your sump pumps are intact
  • Maintain roofs and gutters
  • Locate and shut off valves in case of flooding
  • Replace old hoses
  • Install water sensors

Prevent Water Damage!

Repairs from water damage can be a bit of a handful and most especially expensive. Plus, there is the risk of structural damage and depreciation or destruction of your personal belongings. As natural disasters cannot be avoided, you can also always prepare for the worst so you don’t have to worry about major expenses in the future. Another thing to consider is the right plumbing as broken pipes and clogged drains are second to the major causes of flooding inside the home. Tap on a trusted professional plumber to inspect them for you. With great plumbing and safety flood precautions comes great home value.