6 Tips to Prevent Water Damage This Winter

12/9/2019 (Permalink)

As temperatures fall to their lowest this time of year it’s important that we make homeowners and business owners in the Dutch Fork area aware of the dangers that winter poses on your home or office. We layer on clothing and break out our thick socks but have you taken precautions to be sure that your homes and offices will not be affected by the chill in the air?

A recent study performed by the Insurance Information institute stated that water damage accounts for almost half of all property damage claims. They found that 57% of homeowners who have experienced a water leak claim more than $5,000 on clean-up costs and around 15% spent $20,000 or more. These were all individuals with homeowners insurance policies that covered their claims. If you’re unsure what type of coverage you have involving water and storm damage, give your agent a call and discuss your policy before something happens!

We’ve developed a list of 6 simple ways to help protect your biggest asset:

1. Install a water detection device – a minor water leak can cause massive amounts of damage if undetected. A small water supply line to an appliance has the ability to rack up thousands of dollars in damage because it goes unnoticed and spreads water over a vast area. A water detection device is a simple, easily installed device that can help detect moisture in areas you might not frequent. Installing one near water heaters, behind or under washing machines and around appliances that use water is a great way to detect water quickly and early on as to prevent further damage. Some models send alerts to your phone if moisture is detected or if there is an increase in the amount of water being used in your home.
2. Turn off main water supply – if you’re leaving town or traveling, even for short periods of time, you can eliminate the possibility of returning to a flooded home. Not sure how to do this? Call your water company and they’ll walk you through the correct way to turn the water off at your residence.
3. Check your water supply lines regularly – Just like an annual checkup at the doctor, your home deserves to be looked over regularly! Check water supply lines in your fridge, dishwasher, washing machine and any other appliance that may have a water supply flowing. Cracks, wear and tear and visible molding are indicators that they should be replaced. Most replacements can be picked up at your local hardware store and are far more inexpensive than cleaning up water damaged surfaces.
4. Clean gutters and inspect your roof – leaves and debris tend to hold on to water and can cause stress on the structure of your roof. They can also clog your gutters and direct the flow of water down the side of your home/office or under the roof. Replace any damaged or missing shingles that might allow water to seep in.
5. Protect your pipes – insulate accessible pipes with pipe insulation materials. Attics and crawl spaces that are accessible should be looked over to see if there are any exposed to the air. Purchase a spigot insulator for any water sources on the exterior of your home.
6. Let a faucet drip – on nights when temperatures are expected to drop below freezing, turn a sink faucet on to allow water to lightly flow. This allows the water to move through the pipes in your home which lowers the risk of freezing. Keep cabinet or closet doors open to allow the warm air in your home to insulate the pipes under sinks and around water heaters.

Finding time to take these simple steps becomes much easier when you consider the damage and time it takes to restore your home following water damage. If you’ve experienced a water loss this winter be sure to call SERVPRO of The Dutch Fork.