How to Prevent Water Damage in Auburn, CA

How to Prevent Water Damage in Aubu rnMany people in and around Auburn believe they are safe from water damage in months of no or very little rain, but they couldn’t be more wrong. It’s not just those rainy months that produce heavy downpours that can cause a water loss. Even on a sunny day in Auburn, water damage can leaving your property soaked and leave you scrambling for a water damage removal expert. Whether the culprit is a broken plumbing pipe or a leaking roof, the damage can be devastating and costly especially if mold damage results because it was dried by an inexperienced or uncertified remediation company. Where Is All This Water Coming From? As we have progressed in life with all of our conveniences, so have the water damage causing scenarios. There are quite a few modern-day conveniences in and around our homes that can develop problems that lead to Auburn water damage. Not only have we increased the chances of flooding our homes, but also the materials that we build with cause water removal and dehumidification problems that only the most seasoned remediation company can handle. Some of the most common problems causing issues are: Pipes and Drains: During winter or a cold snap, pipes can freeze, and if full of water, can burst and damage the building and the occupants’ personal property. Most home plumbing systems can get clogged very easily, which can lead to water damage from overflowing appliances such as sinks, clothes washers and toilets. Grease can buildup in kitchen sinks and garbage disposals from items such as coffee grinds, lint can accumulate in clothes washers and the drainage lines, and roots from invasive trees can sometimes grow through sewer lines. These are just a few things that can cause clogs and stoppages, and just an eighth-inch crack in a pipe can release up to 250 gallons of water each day. You don’t want to be away for a weekend when that happens. Here are some tips to help prevent water damage from pipes and drain blockages in Auburn: • Showers and bathtubs - Discoloration or soft areas around floors and walls near showers or bathtubs may be your first indication there is a leak. Check caulking at joints where the walls meet the floor or the bathtub, looking for cracks or mold. If either is found, clean and remove loose material and apply new sealant. If the shower walls or floor are tiled, a leak may develop if there are cracks or missing areas of grout. • Re-caulk around sinks, showers and bathtubs with an anti-microbial caulking and pay attention to slow-draining pipes which could indicate a blocked drain. Check the pipes under the sink for signs of water leaks. • Leaking shower pans and loose or missing tiles should be repaired. • Check under the sink for signs of leaks from water supply lines or drainpipes - a good indication could be water damage staining on the cabinetry. • Toilets - Placing inappropriate objects or too much toilet paper in the bowl can accidentally clog toilets, especially low-flow toilets now required in homes. Be careful when emptying a bucket of dirty water into the bowl that there isn’t a rag in the bucket. Toilet deodorants that hang off the side of the bowl can cause problems by breaking apart or falling in and lodging deep in the plumbing system. They can block the line or create an obstruction that grease and other materials can cling to - eventually causing blockage. In addition, some chlorine tablet cleaners may corrode some of the internal components, eventually leading to a leak. • Dampness or standing water in basements and crawl spaces may be evidence of a plumbing leak or improper drainage, which can lead to structural problems. • Insulating water pipes that are exposed to freezing temperatures or drafts, such as those located in garages and basements will help reduce the chance of leaks from frozen pipes. • If you have a home in Tahoe, disconnecting the outside hose connections each fall will help minimize the chance of burst pipes due to freezing. A trickle of water from both the hot and cold faucets may help prevent frozen pipes. Another good idea is to open cabinet doors to allow heat to get to pipes under sinks and appliances near exterior walls. Appliances: Common sources for water damage in Auburn and surrounding areas include the clothes washers, dishwashers, water heater, refrigerators, and air conditioning units. There are a number of factors that could cause a water loss, such as the age of the appliance - over time, water heaters rust on the bottom. Water damage caused by leaky water heaters located upstairs or in attics can be particularly destructive. Washing machine hoses are meant to be replaced every few years (unless you have a metal braided hose). Over time the rubber hoses corrode and will eventually break, causing all kinds of water damage especially if the laundry room is upstairs. Hundreds of gallons of water can escape and significant damage can occur to the building and property inside. Here are some tips to help prevent water damage from appliances in Auburn: • Inspect washing machine hoses regularly for wetness around hose ends and signs of bulging, cracking or fraying. Make sure hose connections are secure on water supply lines. Replace the rubber hose if a problem is found or every three to five years as part of a proactive maintenance program. Failure to do this could result in a water damage claim not being covered – please check you homeowners policy carefully. • Follow the recommended maintenance procedures for all appliances and equipment. This includes periodically draining a portion of the water out of the water heater to flush out the sediment in the bottom of the tank. (Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.) • Dishwasher - Periodically check under the sink to see if the hose connection to the water supply line is secure and is not leaking. Check around the base of the dishwasher for evidence of leaks. You will be surprised to know that dishwasher leaks can go un-noticed for weeks if not months and cause all kinds of damage including mold damage – especially if the dishwasher is turned on at night before going to bed as the water could soak into the floor and cabinets before you even wake up hiding the problem from you. This could be another reason for a water loss not being covered by a homeowner’s policy, since it’s no longer “sudden and accidental”. Look for discolored, warped, or soft flooring materials or water damage to nearby cabinets. • If your refrigerator has an icemaker, check the hose connection to make sure it is securely attached to the water supply line. The wet spot you see on the floor near the refrigerator may be melted ice cubes or it may be a crimped water supply line about to burst. Personally I don’t like the copper lines because it doesn’t take much for them to crack. • Most water heaters can last between 10 and 15 years, however, wet spots on the floor or a rusted tank may signal a problem. Hot water heaters should be installed on the lowest level of the home and always located next to a floor drain in case there is a leak. If it’s installed upstairs, then it should be placed inside a drain pan with the drain pan piped to the floor drain. This should be checked regularly. • Air conditioning - At the start of the cooling season, have the A/C system serviced by a qualified contractor. Make sure their service includes inspecting and cleaning the air conditioner condensation pan drain line to keep it free of obstructions. It won’t hurt either if the home owner checks the drain pan from time to time just to ensure there isn’t a water damage problem waiting to happen. Change the air filters on a regular basis. Gutters/Downspouts: Buildings with pitched roofs can have a variety of drainage systems. With a sufficient overhang, water can drain directly to the ground without being intercepted at the roof edge. Usually, pitched roofs end in gutters that are drained by downspouts. Drainage without gutters and downspouts can damage the exterior wall with overflow. If the roof has no gutters and downspouts or interior downspouts, carefully examine the exterior walls for signs of water damage. You could even call in a professional with sensitive water meters to check if any interior walls are wet. If your drywall is wet it needs to be dried immediately to prevent mold damage in Auburn. Here are some tips to help prevent water damage from gutters in Auburn: • Check your gutters frequently and clean any debris you find to prevent clogs. • If you live in an area with trees that continually shed their leaves, purchasing gutter shields could be a worthwhile investment. • Make sure your downspouts extend several feet away from the house to carry water away from the foundation. If they don’t, you can purchase extensions that attach to your downspouts. • Check where the gutters meet the stucco on the outside of you home, sometimes builders don’t stucco behind the gutter end piece correctly and water could be pouring into your home without you knowing. • Fill in any low spots around the house so water drains away from the foundation. • Inspect caulking around windows and doors and replace as needed where cracked or deteriorated. Roofing: Deteriorated, missing or damaged roofing materials and ice dams can allow water to enter through the roof and damage ceilings, walls, and floors. If you find a broken tile on your roof, replace it before then next rain storm to prevent any water damage problems. Inadequate attic insulation and ventilation can speed up a roof’s decay and contribute to the formation of ice dams in the wintertime. Exposure to the elements like wind, snow, hail, and rain can affect a roof’s ability to keep water out so check it regularly for any wear and tear. Here are some tips to help prevent water damage from roofs in Auburn: • Check for damage or deterioration around the flashing at chimneys, skylights, vents and other junctions. • Keep roof, valleys, gutters and downspouts free from the buildup of litter such as leaves and twigs to assist with proper drainage. • Check the roof and eave ventilation as reducing the buildup of heat and moisture in the attic may help extend the life of the roof. • If you find any water stains on your ceiling, check your attic around flues, plumbing vents, and chimneys. The source of the water intrusion must be found and fixed. • Flat roofs should be well maintained. Pools of water that fail to drain from flat or low sloped roofs may indicate low areas and inadequate drainage. • Preservatives available for some types of roofs may help limit weathering effects of moisture and retard growth of molds and mosses. • Avoid walking on a roof to limit wear and tear. Only necessary repairs or inspections should warrant walking on the roof and even then should be done by a professional. • Keep trees trimmed to prevent them from rubbing against the roof or from providing excessive shade. Well trimmed trees will also protect you gutters from falling leaves. • Prompt repair of deteriorated or damaged roofing materials by a professional roofing contractor will help prevent interior water damage and mold damage in Aubu . It doesn’t take a lot of effort to prevent damage from water. A regular inspection and maintenance schedule for the exterior building structure and interior appliances and fixtures may help reduce or prevent costly water damage. Make it a part of you your life and it will go a long way in preventing you from becoming a water damage statistic. Your local water utility or a qualified contractor may be able to offer additional information and suggestions. Hardware That Can Help: Water Leak Detection Systems To help keep an eye on these or other trouble spots, you may want to consider installing a water leak detection system. Leak detection systems can be either active or passive. Passive leak detection systems or "water alarms" are intended to alert you to a possible water leak. They generally sound an audible alarm tone and some may also feature a flashing light. Passive systems generally cost from $8 to $45 per unit. Active leak detection systems usually generate some type of alarm, but also perform a function that will stop the water flow. They feature some form of shut-off valve and some means to determine that a leak is occurring. These systems are generally more expensive but the cost can be worth it. They can fetch anything up to about $1500 depending on labor rates to install and the size of the system. Convenient Features of Some Leak Detection SystemsrnSome models of leak detection systems can be connected into a building’s security or fire alarm panel. If it detects water, it can send an alarm to an off-site monitoring company. Some systems that utilize leak sensors also have temperature sensors. If the temperature at the sensor(s) in the home drops below a specified temperature, the detection system will send an alarm and close the service valve to lessen or prevent damage if a frozen pipe bursts.