Prevent Water Damage With These Tips

If you have ever experienced water damage in Los Angeles, or know someone who has, then you probably know that the aftermath of a plumbing accident or flood is not pretty or cheap. As with anything unpleasant, taking precautionary measures is the best way to prevent water damage. Most of the steps to prevent this are not only easy, but they are generally cheap, if not free. 

Before you start, you’ll want to consider the common causes of water damage- leaks, clogs and drips. With these in mind, check your home and then take action! This, of course, will involve a bit of work on your end like cleaning clogged drains and rain gutters and may call for a few trips to the hardware store to purchase new washers, caulk, fittings and hoses. However, your effort will be worth it as something as simple as an overflow could set you back hundreds of dollars in water damage repair and restoration. 

That being said here are a few tips for preventing water damage: 

1. Handling Drips

When checking your house for drips, you’ll want to use your sense of hearing and check the following areas:

-Sinks, including the plumbing underneath it as well as the faucet. 

-Any region with exposed plumbing including crawl spaces, basements, laundry rooms, outdoor areas like bibs, bathrooms and unfinished areas in the garage.

-Appliances with hoses like water heaters, refrigerators, washing machines, and dishwashers. Pay close attention to heating & air conditioning systems also as they produce water and usually have hoses leading to drains or drip pans. 

Look for water signs and listen to the signs of drips. Sometimes, simply tightening the water valve is enough while other fixes may need new hoses, washers or fittings. 

2. Handling Leaks

Similar to drips, you will come across leaks in kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms and other regions where water lines run. The problem is that water leaks tend to be hard to detect as they do not make the drip-drip sound. As a matter of fact, a leak can be well hidden, gradually causing damage. Look for water leak signs by checking areas around appliances and windows for signs of moisture. If you come across water stains, mold, or damp carpet, then chances are you have a leak. 

Fixing a leak can be as simple as replacing a leaking pipe or caulking a leaking window. Keep in mind that ignoring a leak will only lead to extensive water damage, which is expensive. 

3. Handling Clogs

Clogs are ideally water damage culprits because of overflows. Common areas to clean and maintain in order to avoid clogs are:

-Rain gutters

-Sump pump drains

-Kitchen disposals

-Laundry drains

-Tubs and sinks

-Toilets

Ensure you inspect the gutters and drains on a regular basis and clear the gunk as necessary. You can use a plumbing snake to clear the clogged pipes and always have a toilet plunger nearby for clogged toilets. 

These are simple water damage prevention tips that you can use to ensure you avoid the expensive water damage cleanup, repair and restoration.