loader image

How to avoid water damage

Preventing water damage in your home requires proper maintenance and care. Some water damage just can’t be fixed: There’s floods, rain, storms, and plumbing accidents. However, water damage is often preventable. Here we look at the best strategies homeowners can use to prevent water damage in their home.

Water damage is devastating and costly. Water damage claims are the most common type of home insurance claim and can arise from many sources, including weather events, plumbing problems, roof leaks, and even landscaping.

Watch what you put in your pipes to avoid water damage.

Installation problems are often the cause of water damage. The best way to avoid this type of water damage is to be careful about what you put down your drain. Here are some things to avoid to keep your home plumbing healthy.

Plant carefully to avoid water damage.

Nothing beats a well designed home. If you have a green thumb and like tending to shrubs, bushes and trees, that’s great. However, be careful what and where you plant. The roots of trees, shrubs, and shrubs can often become water pipes leading into your home.

Tree roots are strong and can damage pipes. A defective or leaking water pipe causes water damage in your home. Don’t plant anything with an extensive root system around pipes.

Your water bill can be the first sign of water damage. 

Small but continuous spills can go unnoticed and cause major water damage. Sometimes the only way to find such leaks is to closely monitor your water bills. Monitor your water bill for changes to notify you of changes in water usage. Keep track of your monthly water bill and investigate any changes in water usage.

Tree roots are strong and can damage pipes. A defective or leaking water pipe causes water damage in your home. Don’t plant anything with an extensive root system around pipes.

Clean gutters regularly to prevent water damage. 

Cleaning gutters may seem like a chore you can put off for a while, but clogged gutters can cause water damage in your home. Make sure the gutters are clean and free of debris so they can drain water off the roof.When your gutters are clogged, water collects on your roof and damages your roof and ceiling.

Clean your gutters twice a year to prevent water from entering the roof and causing damage. 

Harsh Chemicals. 

Sometimes a clogged drain is unavoidable. Not all clogged pipes cause water damage if you’re careful. If you have a shower or sink that drains slowly, you likely have a clogged drain. But before you pour harsh chemicals down your drain to clean a pipe, think again. Harsh chemicals can eventually damage drains, causing leaks and water damage.Instead, use a hose to unclog the clog, or call a professional plumber for help.

Grease. 

Don’t pour oil down the drain. As the fat cools, it will solidify and may become stuck in the tubes.It can trap other smaller particles and eventually clog the drain. Clogged plumbing pipes can cause water damage in the kitchen.

Roof Damage Can Cause Water Damage. 

A healthy roof is one of the best defenses against water damage. Like any other part of your home, the roof needs maintenance. Check your roof regularly to make sure it is in top condition.Roof damage can lead to water damage in your home. Start with these areas:

Shingles: Look for raised or damaged shingles. The shingles are designed to allow water to drain off the roof, but they cannot function properly if damaged. The result is water damage on the roof.

Flashing: To prevent water damage to the roof, ensure the flashing is in good condition.If the flange lifts or breaks, it must be repaired or replaced. Pay particular attention to areas with chimneys, vents, or roof joints.

Seals around the vents: Check the seals around the roof vents for cracks.

window seals and seals can cause water damage.

Another area of your home that needs maintenance is around the windows. 

Windows that are not properly caulked and sealed can allow water to seep in and cause significant water damage.Even a small amount of moisture near windows can lead to mold and rot.

Check your windows regularly to ensure the seals are not torn and that the seal is well protected to prevent water damage around the windows. Look for signs of water damage in the home, such as: B. Warping, peeling paint and discoloration.

Water Sinkhole Damage

Sinkhole damage is very common in your home, usually these failures are caused by depression of the soil in a circular shape, they are considered a very common phenomenon in homes.

They can be easy or difficult to detect, the signs of damage are mostly visible and can be mitigated in time so that there is no major breakdown.

In this article we will teach you how to recognize water sinkhole damage in a practical and simple way.

Let’s get started!

What will you find here?

A
Main signs of water sinkhole damage
A
How to recognize a sinkhole?
A
Soil depressions due to sinkhole damage
$
Why does this happen?
A
How do you detect sinkhole damage on the inside?

Main signs of water sinkhole damage

  • Cracks on the exterior or interior of the home’s walls: they can lead to the formation of a sinkhole if repairs are not made in time. Damage begins to be created because a water filter is created inside the structure and all of the wall material crumbles from the inside.
  • When sinkholes are out in the open, roads and highways can collapse and sink into the ground, this poses a great danger to drivers and the roadway.

How to recognize a sinkhole?

A sinkhole is defined as a kind of hole in the earth’s surface covered by water.  It is usually caused by erosion or dissolution of the limestone layer below the earth’s surface.

This damage can occur anywhere, but is most common in acidic soils.

Over time, these acids in the soil erode the limestone, causing it to sink and pull down the topsoil.

Sinkholes are generally difficult to reverse; the only way they can be minimized is if they are small and quickly detected.

Many insurance companies offer coverage for sinkhole damage, but mitigating the damage early reduces the risk of loss, so our public adjusters at Let Us Claim can help you with the claims process in the event of sinkhole damage to your home.

Soil depressions due to sinkhole damage

As mentioned above, sinkholes are one of the main signs of damage caused by water sinkholes.

When a sinkhole is created, the pools of water take the form of a circular pond that accumulates water, although as we know it is common to see “sinkholes” it is best to investigate thoroughly how it was created to find out a possible damage.

A characteristic of sinkholes is that when they have greater depth is that vegetation and plants begin to wither on the surface.

Why does this happen?

Because the same sinkhole damage pushes the moisture down that it created with the accumulation of water.

This is why there are deep wells that are considered sinkholes because of the amount of water they accumulate and erode inside the well.

sinkhole-2

How do you detect sinkhole damage on the inside?

  • In addition to cracks in the wall, you may encounter sloping floors.
  • Debris in the water you use for bathing or washing.
  • Typical depressions in your yard or nearby areas is a sign of sinkhole damage.
  • The interior of the home is also affected, in the case of closets they tend to disarticulate, it is advisable to perform a periodic review of these spaces in your home.
  • Excessive separation between ceilings and walls, as mentioned earlier in this article, is a sign of a water sinkhole caused by erosion between wall components mixed with water.
  • Ladder cracks are another red flag for you to file a claim with your homeowner’s insurance company for sinkhole damage.
  • If you have dead vegetation in your yard, it may also be a sign that a sinkhole is present.
  • The importance of verifying all these signs is because you can avoid a sinkhole in the affected area, which in the future may be irreparable.

Our public adjusters will always be happy to perform a free inspection of your home and accompany you through every step of your claim process to make it a success.