Prevent Water Damage Before It’s Too Late
Whether caused by a burst boiler or heavy rainfall, water damage can be disastrous and very expensive to remediate. As well as personal possessions and furnishings, water damage can affect electrical systems and cause long-term structural problems. Here are some suggestions that can help prevent water damage to your home.
- Install a good humidity meter. Your relative humidity should stay below 55%. If it climbs above this, invest in a dehumidifier.
- Install a sump pump. A sump pump prevents water from flooding your crawlspace or basement, pumping it away so the area under your house stays dry and free of mold.
- Inspect gutters, downspouts, drains and overflow pipes frequently. If these become blocked by debris, they may overflow and cause water damage.
- Keep your roof in good repair.
- Check for interior structural issues. Beams and rafters that appear weak or spongy can be a sign of ongoing water damage.
- Check doors and windows for water stains. Damp patches and stains near doors or windows can be a sign that water is getting in.
- Keep your plumbing system well-maintained.
- Inspect fixtures and appliances frequently. Check boilers and tanks for signs of corrosion. Monitor A/C systems for condensation. Check around sinks, baths, showers and toilets for cracks or leaks. Check your washer’s supply hoses for leaks; consider replacing rubber hoses with braided metal ones.If flooding is a risk in your area, you might need to take more serious steps. These may include elevating or relocating certain systems or appliances so they’re above the 100-year flood level.
- Elevating or relocating appliances such as your washer and dryer.
- Elevating or relocating your heat pump and/or air conditioner unit.
- Elevating your electrical system and/or electrical panel.
- Elevating or relocating your water heater, baseboard heaters and/or heater plant.
- Elevating your home.
- Improving interior wall construction.
- Installing additional drainage.
- Installing flood walls.
- Relocating your entire home.
For more useful information on ways to prevent water damage, contact Sobieski Services, Inc. Our goal is to help educate our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC & plumbing systems).
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