Preventative Maintenance Can Reduce the Need for Water Damage Restoration

Maintain Your Appliances

Where does water damage come from? It comes from someplace that carries water – which is why your appliances can be a common cause of water leaks that lead to water damage. You can prevent leaks by keeping an eye on your appliances and fixing small problems before they turn into big ones.

The hoses on appliances like refrigerators and washing machines are good examples. Many people don’t know that they may need to change their hoses several times over the life cycle of the appliance. Homeserve says that while the average washing machine lasts about a decade, the hoses should be replaced every three to five years. Refrigerator hoses are similar – you can expect to replace those hoses every five years.

Consider Water Detection Devices

You won’t always catch a leak before it starts, but if you detect it early, you can usually avoid major damage. That’s why it might be helpful if you had a device that would just tell you when something begins to leak.

Those devices exist. Water detection devices have a sensor that detects moisture and an alarm that goes off when that happens. Place them near washing machines, toilets, dishwashers, sump pumps, and water heaters to catch slow, minor leaks early.

Keep an Eye on Your Water Bill

If you notice a startling increase in your water bill, it’s often a sign of trouble. Unless your water routine changed drastically that month – for example, if you filled up a swimming pool – your bill should remain predictable from month to month.

A major increase isn’t always a sign of a leak, but it’s a sign of a water problem. A toilet could just be running, but not leaking, which is a problem that needs to be fixed but shouldn’t lead to water damage. However, if the toilet is both running and leaking, it could cause serious harm to your house. A garden hose left running outside could cause more than just mud – if it’s too close to the house, it could damage the home’s exterior or even seep inside. Take unexpectedly high water bills seriously and search for the source of the increased water usage.

Keep Your Water Pressure Reasonable

Another important thing to keep an eye on is your water pressure. If it’s too high, that pressure will take its toll on the pipes and hoses that the water is running through.

You can test your water pressure with a water pressure gauge attached to an outdoor faucet. If it’s too high, you may need a water pressure regulator. Both can be easily found at hardware stores.

Clean Your Gutters and Downspouts Regularly

The outside of your home needs to be protected from water damage as well as the inside. Your home’s gutter system is a major line of defense when it comes to keeping your home’s exterior safe from water damage. The gutters collect rainwater and guide it through your downspouts so it doesn’t pool on your roof or flow over the sides of the gutters. Without functional gutters, your home’s roof, siding, and foundation are all at risk, and the water could also begin to leak into the home as well.

In order to keep your gutters working properly, you will have to keep them clean and avoid clogs. Unless you have gutter guards that prevent anything other than water from entering the gutter system, gutters need to be cleaned between one and four times per year, depending on where you live and how close trees and other debris are to your home. You should also check for clogs or gutter damage after any major storm.

Conclusion

Preventative maintenance can help you avoid some types of water damage and keep your home safe and strong. By maintaining your appliances, using water detection devices, keeping a close eye on your water bill and water pressure, and keeping your gutters clog-free, you can save yourself the trouble and expense of dealing with water damage.

Source

• https://www.homeserve.com/en-us/blog/home-improvement/appliance-hose-maintenance/