Whether it’s from a sudden burst pipe, a leaking roof, or a hurricane, water damage can wreak havoc on your home and disrupt your life. But there are proactive steps you can take to prevent water damage and keep your home safe and dry.
The Danger of Water Damage
Water damages your property in different ways than that of wind, hail, or most other natural effects. The true destructive power of water comes not only from the force it can exert on objects, but its lingering effects on your property and its unique interactions with electrics and electronics.
Structural Damage
Water damage from flooding or heavy rains can exert a large amount of kinetic force on roofs, walls, windows, tree limbs, and other stationary objects.
When combined with wind damages, as it commonly is during a hurricane, water damage can be highly destructive to dwellings and objects.
Electrical Fires
Another unique threat posed by water is its interaction with electricity. It’s well known that water and electricity can make fire due to the highly conductive nature of water.
What’s less well-known is how difficult it can be to put out an electrical fire started in this way.
With water doing more harm than good, electrical fires have to be doused in very specific ways, using fire blankets or a Class C fire extinguisher.
Mold Growth
When water gets trapped within an area, like the walls or attic of a home, it can do serious damage to the health of the individuals living in that home via mold growth.
Unchecked sitting water is a breeding ground for dangerous mold spores that can spread throughout a home’s ventilation and make inhabitants severely ill.
This is why water damage in a home must be handled quickly and thoroughly, to prevent remaining water from settling and growing mold.
Preventing Water Damage
Sometimes it is impossible to prevent water damage to your home. In the event of severe weather or natural disaster, the destructive power of water can overcome even the best safeguards.
That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take proper precautions to prevent water damage from more mundane sources of water damage.
Ensure your home has a pressure release valve
Most modern homes have a device called a pressure release valve that helps to prevent dangerous pressure spikes from damaging the plumbing.
A home inspector can usually help to determine whether or not one is installed on your water main.
Inspect appliances, fittings, and roof
Maintaining strong seals in your windows, ensuring the safe and proper operation of appliances, and sealing and preventing roof leaks are simple home maintenance tasks that not only prevent mundane water damage, but can also strengthen your home’s defenses in a severe weather situation.
Monitor your water bill
Keep an eye on the amounts of your water bills. If a water bill is abnormally high, this could be a sign of a leak somewhere in your home’s plumbing.
If you suspect a plumbing issue due to a high water bill, you can call a plumber to attempt to detect leaks in pipes that you can’t visibly inspect yourself.
Read Also: Renovating Your Louisiana Home? Insurance Tips to Know Before You Start
By following these tips and being proactive in maintaining your home, you can minimize the risk of mundane water damage and protect your investments for years to come.
And when severe rain or flooding threatens, good maintenance and understanding of your home’s uniquities can help you weather the storm. Stay vigilant, stay prepared, and keep your home safe and dry.
When it comes to protecting your property, TSL Insurance Group works to provide the best home insurance policies for the best prices. Our expert producers work hard to customize your coverage and keep your home safe from the unexpected.
To make getting the right homeowners insurance easy and convenient, we have local offices in Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lutcher, Franklin, and Abbeville ready to serve you. Contact your nearest office today for personalized assistance with all your home insurance needs.
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