Prevent Water Damage in Three Easy Steps

When you think about problem that you can face as a homeowner few are more daunting than the thought of water damage. Quite often, though, many of the worst aspects of water damage can be significantly mitigated if you make time to inspect your home on a regular basis. By spending an afternoon once a month checking things over as well as keeping an eye on the areas you use every day you will be able to spot issues before they grow into full grown problems which will save you time, money and frustration. 1. The kitchen is often the biggest culprit when it comes to water damage, which to come as no surprise to many homeowners. Ice makers, refrigerators, dishwashers and sinks are all notorious for accidents involving overflow, leaky pipes and corroded connections. Often people don’t notice anything is wrong until they’re standing in an inch of water and searching frantically for the source. Luckily, since so much time is spent in the kitchen it is easy to make a routine for checking these areas on a regular basis. As you’re clearing away the dinner dishes, take a moment to visually inspect the floor and any cupboard areas around your dishwasher and refrigerator. Warped or peeling tiles are a red flag that something is wrong and should be lifted and checked in order to make immediate repairs. The same thing goes for the backsplash of your kitchen sink. As you wipe down your counters give an extra swipe to this area, checking the sealant and tiles along the way and looking for any discoloration or warping. When you are able to spot these kinds of issues early you can make repairs timely and nip any major problems in the bud. 2. Of course, no water damage inspection and prevention routine would be complete without spending some time in the bathroom. Chances are your bathroom gets cleaned once a week and while you’re in there it takes very little extra time to visually inspect the grouting and sealant in the shower as well as around the toilet bowl. Store your bathroom cleaning supplies under the sink if possible so that you get into the habit of looking at the sink pipes on a regular basis as well. Pipes can corrode and deteriorate without your even noticing since many people don’t often have reason to look at them. Replacing the u-bend in a bathroom sink will cost a few dollars and an hour of time. But if it rusts to the point of rupture you could be looking at replacing the entire cabinet system. 3. Spend some time outside looking at areas of your home where water can easily build up or get in. These areas include the guttering system, roof and basement windows. Gutters are more likely to become clogged water traps in the fall as leaves and other debris gets caught inside of them. A yearly clean takes an afternoon and, again, is an investment that can easily save you hundreds of dollars down the line. You should take a look at your roof about twice a year – both before and after any particularly stormy seasons. If you are unable to do a visual inspection for physical reasons, many roofing companies offer free visual inspections and estimates as part of seasonal incentives so keep an eye out for ads in local papers. Watch ground level windows as well and be sure there is proper drainage around any windows where water may collect or has a chance to get in. Once you incorporate these quick visual inspections into your daily, weekly or monthly routines, you will find that they add very little extra time and the pay off is measurable. Over time, you will become familiar with the way these areas should look when they are dry and free of problems which will allow you to notice any aberrations and act on them immediately. The old saying goes ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’ and this is as true with home maintenance and water damage prevention as it is with your overall health.