Unexpected damage to your home can throw you off balance. It can get in the way of daily life in a major way, it can throw your finances way off, and it can make you reconsider how safe your home really is. One of the most corrosive and dangerous of all kinds of unexpected damage is water damage. There are a variety of ways that water damage can become a real risk to your home, but there are also plenty of ways that you can defend against it.
Protect your pipes
Perhaps the most common, or at least the most widely known, source of sudden water damage is the dramatic event that is the burst pipe. There are a few reasons this tends to happen but poor winterization tends to be the most common cause. Getting your home ready for winter includes insulating your pipes to make sure that they do not experience the problem of water cause them to expand and contract. If you have left the home for a long time in the cold, then you should be extra wary of the prospect of a pipe bursting.
Get HVAC in your head
Your HVAC system can be the root cause of a lot of issues in the home, such as poor air quality, energy inefficiency and more, but did you know that it can also be a cause of water damage? Heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, in particular, can lead to flooding due to things like frozen evaporator coils that cause a lot of water build-up, as well as faulty connections to pipes. Investing in AC repairs is crucial. At least once a year you should check to make sure that your HVAC systems are working as expected.
Get your mind in the gutter
Leaks from the exterior to the interior can also be a huge risk. There are plenty of ways these can happen, such as roof damage, poorly fit windows and other things that let in the rain. However, your gutters can offer the biggest risk of all. These fixtures to the home gather water for the purpose of draining it away from the home, but when they are blocked, the water fills them up and, with nowhere else to go, it can start to infiltrate the home. Make sure you take the time to clean your gutters at least twice a year.
Plumb the depths of the home
There are plenty of plumbing issues that can escape your notice that could be leading to leaks. However, the problem can go deeper than the plumbing, too. Moisture can make its way into the foundation of the home, causing structural damage over time. Installing a sump pump can help you drain away this moisture, keeping your basement and foundation dry, but you also have to watch out for sump pump malfunctions that can cause their own problems.
If you’re worried about the costs of unexpected damage to the home, then it is essential that you ensure the home is protected from water damage first and foremost.
