Dealing With Water Damage in Your Home

As a homeowner, one of your main concerns is avoiding damage to your home. According to insurance industry estimates, 14,000 Americans experience a water damage emergency at home or work each day. While you may have a supplier such as American Water providing clean utilities to your home, it’s important to be aware of the risks. Water damage and mold cost the insurance industry $2.5B a year.  Water damage can occur for many reasons from many sources; it could be a flood, a burst pipe, an accident, or poor construction. Whatever water damage comes your way, there are ways to deal with it which shore up against further damage and help keep your home safe.

The Water Shut-off Valve

Every household has one - do you know where yours is? A water shut-off valve is the main switch for turning off all water from running through the household systems. It is essentially the fuse box for your water supply. If you identify a leak coming from a pipe or other mains water source, you should switch off the shut-off valve immediately. This means no further damage can be done while you wait for a plumber to arrive and help fix the issue.

The Plumber

It is important to have a local plumber’s number in your phone before an emergency hits. That way you aren’t scrabbling around on Google trying to find a plumber to come and assess the damage, and, crucially, stop further damage to your property. Find a plumber who is well-reviewed and reliable, who works on flexible hours, so you know who to call when water damage occurs.

Fixing The Problem

Once water damage has happened, you’ll need to act quickly to prevent the situation from getting worse. If your home leak damaged the ceilings, walls, floor or furniture, there are many steps you can take. Don’t forget to contact your insurance company to help with repairs when severe water damage occurs.  You will need to have professionals assess the situation; you’ll need a plumber to repair the plumbing issues and water damage restoration company to prevent mold growth and repair any damage. This needs to be done quickly, if mold starts growing then you’ll need mold removal services as well. Depending on the level of damage, often water damage to delicate furnishings isn’t salvageable. Water damage restoration companies can bring in industrial fans to dry out the space quickly and prevent mold growth.

Moisture Sensor

Plumbing can fail over time and sometimes these things are unavoidable. However, there is something you can do to catch it early. Get a smart water sensor that will notify you as soon as it detects water. They’re pretty affordable these days and I would suggest putting one underneath every sink, near toilets, and basement sump pump. This will prevent any significant flooding and you can act quickly.