Water damage can be a very costly fix. It can happen to anyone in Richmond, especially when it is rainy often. Luckily, there are some steps you can take at home to avoid water damage in the future. This will save you a lot of money.
We gathered some tips here for you to use! Be sure to keep reading if you want to prevent water from damaging your home.
Outdoors
You will need to take some steps in and outdoors to have the most effective prevention system in place. It does take some maintenance, but it would be well worth it in the long run. Taking care of your outside property can keep water from finding its way inside.
This is what you need to take care of outside:
Clear Gutters
First, you want to clean out your gutters and downspouts. They should be emptied at least two times a year to avoid clogs and ice buildup. However, if you are not comfortable doing this yourself, you will want to hire a professional.
When left unchecked, gutters can become clogged easily during the fall and winter months. This can cause them to leak- which would lead to serious water damage in your home. It would be a pricey fix, so you will want to clear your gutters often.
Put Away Hoses
You will want to disconnect any hoses that are attached to a faucet before winter sets in. Trapped water and moisture inside of the hose can freeze, causing a pipe to burst. If this happened, your walls, foundation, carpets, and possibly furniture could be damaged.
At the end of each summer, make sure your hoses are disconnected and put away. If you were to forget, our professional water damage restoration team would be able to assist you immediately.
Check on Your Plants
Shrubs, trees, and other plants can be a beautiful part of landscaping your yard. Although, their roots could potentially wrap around pipes. Over time, they may crush them. It is essential to avoid placing plants near any utility pipes for this reason.
If you have trees or bushes growing over utility pipes, you will need to move them. It can be a lot of work, especially if they are large, but it would be worth it. A broken pipe can cause a lot of expensive damage to your property.
Add or Upgrade Downspouts
If you have not checked on your downspouts in a while, now would be a good time. They are one of the most important parts of your gutter system since they direct the water away from your home.
Next time it rains in Richmond, check on the spouts. You will want to make sure that they are causing the water to flow safely away from your foundation. It helps if the area around your home slopes downwards slightly.
Inside
Fix Leaks Right Away
If you notice dripping water – don’t wait! The longer a leak runs, the more significant the damage will be. Not taking care of a leak could lead to mold, rot, mildew, and even structural damage. None of which are fun to fix.
If you have leaked, we would like to help you. When it comes to repairs, VRS is the best around.
Check on Appliances
Checking on appliances should become a natural habit. Most water damage is caused by appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers, and water heaters. It is important to take note of any leaks that are happening.
Know How to Turn Off Your Water Source
To avoid serious water damage in the future you must know where your water main is located. The main will shut off your home’s water supply in case of an emergency.
For example, your sink is overflowing with water and will not turn off. Temporarily shutting off the water main while professionals travel to you will prevent further damage to your kitchen or bathroom.
Lower the Water Pressure
Pipes can burst when put under too much pressure. You can use a water pressure gauge to determine how high the pressure is in your pipes. Most residential homes can have water pressure between 40 and 70 PSI without problems.
If yours is higher, we recommend that you lower it into the proper range. Doing so would save you a lot of trouble in the future.
What to do if There’s a Leak
What if there is already a leak? In those cases, you will need to follow these steps to prevent further water damage at home.
- Contact us. Our professional team will assist in the repairs and let you know what you can do in your unique situation.
- Turn off the faucet or water main if leaking persists. You may need to place buckets to catch the water.
- Dry the area. You can blot with towels and set up fans.
- We will offer you our assessment of the damage and let you know what the next steps should be.
- Our experts get to work on restoring your property.
The sooner you react to a leak, the better. We have repaired many homes in Richmond. Those who start the drying process and contact us right away have fewer complications to deal with. You can avoid severe water damage, as well mold taking root.
Contact VRS Today
Our team at Virginia Restoration is full of hard-working individuals who want to help you repair your property. We have all of the experience, training, and equipment needed to assist you. Our experts can help you remove all of the issues that come with water damage.
You must understand what to do to avoid water damage if you are a homeowner. However, please contact us if you have already noticed a leak! We can help you deal with the aftermath.
