To keep water damage from flooding your home and damaging your belongings and the structure of your house, proactive measures must be taken. Water damage, especially if left to fester in your home, can cause irreversible devastation to the house’s structure, the walls, the roof, your belongings, and it can even cause mold, which can adversely affect your family’s health.
To keep water damage in your house at bay as much as possible (accidents and natural disasters are almost impossible to predict), we’re supplying you with steps and measures that you can take to keep your home and your family safe.
6 Ways to Prevent Water Damage in Your House in Jackson, WY
Check Your Pipes, Hoses & Faucets Regularly (At least twice a year)
One of the best ways to protect your Jackson, WY house from water damage, is to routinely check your home’s pipes for corrosion, rust, and other damage that could lead to an expensive disaster in the future. In addition to monitoring your home’s pipes twice a year, you’ll need to investigate the hoses and faucets of the appliances in your home, such as the washer, the dishwasher, water heat, sink, shower, and toilet. Basically, anything that has water running through it, you’ll want to check twice a year for leaks and damage. If you notice any stains or water spots in or around these areas, check for a leak immediately.
Inspect & Repair (as Needed) Your Roof
Roof leaks can cause a considerable amount of water damage, especially if left unrepaired. A leaky roof can leak into attic insulation, which over time, will lead to mold and rot. Often when you move into a new house, the roof will be inspected for leaks and any damage if it has been over five years or if you are noticing leaks from the ceiling or a musty odor coming from the attic, it’s time to have your roof looked at.
According to Clinton J. Ford of Advanced Building Consultants, “You should hire a licensed professional roofing contractor to go on your roof and inspect for normal wear and deterioration. Then make the required repairs every five years or, if reaching the end of its life expectancy, every two years.“
Clean Your Gutters & Check Your Drainage
Cleaning out the gutters and downspouts of your Jackson, WY home is another preventative measure you can take to decrease the water damage. When gutters are free from debris, they work correctly, sending the water away from the home and its foundation. When they are filled with leaves, branches, dirt, and other objects, the water will spill over the gutters and can compromise the foundation of your home. The Spruce suggests cleaning your gutters as well as your downspouts once or twice a year and, in the winter, clear out any ice dams as soon as they occur.
Trim Your Trees
Another way to prevent water damage in your home, especially when storms arise, is to trim tree branches that are near your home or hanging over your home and power lines leading to your homes.
Along with trimming tree branches or removing them altogether, it’s a good idea to make sure that all the trees and shrubs surrounding your home are alive and healthy. As this article points out, while dead shrubs and trees may not seem like a threat initially, they are more likely to be broken during a severe storm or high winds.
Avoid Basement Water Seepage
Basements are where many leaks and water damage in Jackson, WY homes occur. To prevent this from happening in your house, Insurance Information Institute suggests doing the following:
- Reseal Your Basement – If you have noticed water seepage after a storm or heavy rain, that you’ve never noticed before, it could mean that your cement floors and basement walls have or are beginning to deteriorate. Paint the affected areas with a water sealant to prevent more damage.
- Ensure Water is Draining Away from the Home – Water damage can become exponentially disastrous when the soil around the home has settled, making water flow towards the house.
- Install a Backwater Valve – Install and maintain a backwater valve to allow sewage to go out but not come back into the home.
Protect Your Belongings
While this last step, from Insurance Information Institute won’t keep water damage from happening, it will help you to protect your belongings and assets in the event of a flood, burst pipe, natural disaster, etc., where water damage in your home could ruin your possessions. A few tips to keep your stuff safe include:
- Keep belongings stored high on shelving and not on the basement floor.
- Store off-season, bulk, and other possessions not in use in waterproof bins, especially if kept in the basement, attics, or near water pipes.
- Never keep or store valuables and memorabilia where there is a potential risk of damage. This will save you stress, time, and trouble in the event of a loss accident.
We hope that these tips and measures will help keep your home and family safe in the event of water damage or a loss event. If you have or believe you have water damage in your Jackson, WY home, contact Steamatic today. We offer 24/7 assistance to the Jackson, WY, and will help to protect your home and assets from additional damage.