Common Causes that Lead to Water Damage in the Home

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Filed under: Home Buying Tips

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In today’s video, I talked to Scott Peterson about the most common things that lead to water damage in the home. Scott is with Home Perfect Restoration, so he’s seen all of the issues that can lead to a need for home restoration due to water damage. The company works on 40 to 50 homes a month, and about half of the problems could have been prevented.

Here are the main things that cause water damage, and tips to avoid these issues:

Hot Water Heaters

The biggest source of water issues comes from the hot water heater. The simplest solution is to put a pan under the water heater or replace it at the 12 – 15-year mark. These steps might seem basic, but they are effective to prevent water damage.

Washing Machines

An old rubber hose on the washing machine can break, causing a lot of water to spray out into the home. Too often, the hose breaks when the homeowner is away from the house, and they come back to find a mess that needs to be cleaned up. Swap the rubber hose with a stainless steel hose. It costs less than $50 at Home Depot and could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars in restoration costs. Also, look at the angle stops to make sure that they can be turned off in case of a water emergency.

Know How to Turn Off the Water

Make sure that you know how to turn off the water so that you can respond fast in case of an emergency. We see too many jobs where it could have been a minor cleanup, but the homeowner didn’t know how to turn off the water. Serious damage can happen to the home if they wait for an hour before the plumber arrives. Check out the video on the Home Perfect Restoration Facebook page for tips on how to turn off the water in your home so that you are ready in case of an emergency.

Call the Pros for Help

Many plumbers offer free audits to determine potential problems in your home. It can be beneficial to have a plumber identify the areas that could be a threat to your property.

If you encounter a situation where you need to repair water damage, then the best solution is to contact a restoration company as soon as possible. Go to a restoration company first before contacting the insurance company. They will help with the insurance billing and ensure that the repairs are done right to protect the structure and value of your home.

Here is a link to the Home Perfect Restoration Facebook page where you can view the video Scott referred to and get more information on how to prevent water damage in your home:  https://www.facebook.com/Homeperfectrestoration/

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