Homeowners often approach us here at Five Point, and ask how they might have prevented the extensive water damage that has occurred in their homes. Occasionally, water damage occurs by plain old fashioned bad luck. It strikes expensive, well cared for homes as often as it does older, less maintained residences. But quite often, a few simple preventative measures can reduce the risk at times when your home is most vulnerable.
There are three times in particular when a home is more susceptible to water damage; during renovations, while moving, and while you are on vacation. Almost without question, this has to do with disruption of the plumbing system in the home. While moving or renovating, household appliances are often disconnected, moved, and either reconnected or replaced. Dishwashers, refrigerators with ice/water features, and clothes washers all connect to the home’s water supply. Movement can bend or pinch pipes and supply lines. Also gaskets and seals become brittle with age and lose their integrity when loosened. This can make a water-tight connection difficult to maintain and makes water damage more likely. Be sure that when you move an appliance for any reason that you follow the manufacturer’s recommendations and visually inspect the connection for signs of leakage. A little prevention will be worth a lot of cure.
As for vacation, there are a few steps a homeowner can take that will help prevent big problems. During winter, homeowners will often give in to the temptation to shut off the furnace while they are away. This is a huge mistake. Your gas bill will go lower by a few dollars, and no one will be home to shiver in the cold. But your waterlines don’t care if you are home or not. And when the temperature gets low enough (this is Utah after all), your pipes will burst. That extra money saved in gas will not go very far in helping with your deductible. A burst waterline can put a couple of feet of water into your home in a matter of just a few hours. So before you leave home, make sure you set your thermostat to above 60 degrees. Next, shut off the water supply to your appliances and sinks. You can do this either at the main, or at the connection point.