18 Sep Ways To Prevent Home Water Damage
Ways To Prevent Home Water Damage
No one wants to walk into their home and find their basement or other rooms flooded. Not only does it make the area contaminated with bacteria and viruses, but it leaves behind water damage. One of the most expensive fixes that you can ever have to deal with in your home is water damage. It can rot right through structural supports that can make your home an unsafe place to live. You shouldn’t ignore water damage either. The longer it’s left to rot, the worse the cost is going to be. When it comes to water damage, the best-case scenario is to prevent it before it can happen. Here are a few ways that you can help prevent damage from occurring to your home due to water.
1. Have Gutters Installed/Cleaned
One of the reasons why you may have water flooding into your basement is because of your gutters. Gutters serve to redirect water that pours down from your roof to a safe location. Without gutters, the liquid drips down the side of your home and pools right beside it. The water can slowly trickle through the soil until it reaches the foundation of your home, which can cause significant problems down the line.
Through existing cracks, the water can then pass through and enter the home. Once this occurs, the cracks become even worse, and new ones form. Your entire foundation could require repairs if the problem persists long enough.
By directing the water elsewhere, it no longer trickles as profoundly as it would otherwise. Besides just having gutters installed, you also need to have them cleaned. Birds and other pests can make nests inside them, which clogs it up and keeps water from flowing where it needs to. Instead, it spills over, and you have the same problem that you would if you didn’t have any gutters at all. Your gutters should be cleaned once a year at the very least. To be the most effective, you should try to have them cleaned every two years.
2. Septic Tank Problems
When was the last time you had your septic tank emptied or inspected? Because they are underground, it can be difficult to know immediately if something is wrong with them. You likely won’t know until you suddenly find sewage filling your backyard and trickling into your basement. Anything that the leaking sewage touches is basically no longer sanitary and will need to be tossed out.
A sure way to make sure that your septic tank is running smoothly is to have a plumber from Benjamin Franklin Plumbing take a look at it. They can check all of the sewer lines, the plumbing lines, and the tank itself to ensure that everything isn’t clogged and it’s functioning well. Sometimes a single clog can make a line burst, which can cause the tank leak and fill your yard and basement. A plumber can look for those clogs and amend them.
Stay on top of your tank’s health if you want to avoid coming home to find sewage water and debris everywhere in the home.
3. Clogged Pipes
Another big reason that you might find water in your home is due to clogged pipes. Over time, soap, hair, and other debris can build up inside of your pipes. You may be tempted to fix the problem yourself by using a chemical to break it all down. Those chemicals can start to eat away at the pipes; in turn, this makes them brittle and more prone to breaking.
Instead, you should have an experienced plumber from Benjamin Franklin Plumbing come and inspect your pipes regularly. They can run a snake through all of your pipes and make sure that everything looks healthy. If they notice any clogs, they can remove it immediately, and prevent pressure from building up in the pipeline. Too much stress can make a pipe burst. Water can spray everywhere, and you’ll likely be facing a lot of water damage.
Some of the most popular pipes to become clogged are those in your toilet, shower, and kitchen sink. Even your bathroom sink can grow clogged if you shave and spit your toothpaste into it. The paste can create a sticky and hard residue that can collect hair and other debris and make it difficult to move further along the pipe. You should spit into the trash rather than down the sink when brushing your teeth to help relieve your bathroom sink from clogging.
Another method to limit the amount of clogging that occurs is to have a hair trapper installed in your shower. A plumber can do it for you, so you know the trapper is high-quality.
Finally, merely having a plumber clear out your pipes now and then is the most effective way to keep your ducts clean and functional.
4. Leaky Appliances
Another culprit for water damage is your appliances. Over time, they start to degrade and begin to leak water. Sometimes it isn’t visible. If you suspect that your device might be leaking water, you should carefully have it moved and inspected. Appliances are delicate pieces of machinery and need to be examined by professionals. If they do leak, you should either have them repaired or replaced with newer models.
Call The Professionals
A lot of water damage stems from the water that leaks due to plumbing or outside sources. Your best bet for maintaining the integrity of your home and preventing costly water damage is to utilize Benjamin Franklin Plumbing. Their experienced and knowledgable plumbers can detect vulnerable areas in your home that might contribute to leaks in the future. Call them today to see what kind of service they can provide you. With their dedicated help, you can prevent water damage and save yourself a lot of grief.
Benjamin Franklin Plumbing Tyler serves the East Texas cities of Kilgore, Longview, Tyler, and Whitehouse with a team of certified plumbers. In addition to emergency plumbing repair, some of the plumbing services provided by the company include faucet repair, drain services, toilet repair, plumbing fixture installations, tub and shower installations, kitchen sink repair, faucet installation, water heater repair/replacement, and garbage disposal replacement. Call us today at (903) 730-6611 to schedule an appointment!