What You Can Do To Help Prevent Water Damage This Season

11/27/2018 (Permalink)

Bathtubs can easily overflow, especially if left unattended with the water running.

We should always be conscious of the water we use and how it can actually end up causing damage. If we’re not careful we can be responsible for flooding or additional water damage in our homes. It is good to know things you can do to try and prevent water damage and what to look out for.

Lookout for Water Pipes

It’s getting close to that time of year where pipes can easily freeze. Make sure you don’t have any cracks in your piping or any slow drips. Cracks in your pipes often can result in not only leaks but when pipes freeze can increase the chance of your pipes bursting.

Long Showers

Many of us love long hot showers on these cold brisk weather days. Especially in the mornings to help warm us up. However, excess use of water can lead to flooding and pooling, which if you’re not careful, can cause water damage. The stagnant water and excessive moisture in your shower is something you should closely monitor so that it does not lead to mold growth and damage. Making certain also that your shower curtain is closed completely and that no water is spraying out is also important as if you spray too much water out of the shower and onto your floor it will seep through below your flooring. If you have shower doors instead of a curtain, make certain that they too close properly and that they are not leaking water out during your shower. If a hot bath is your preference, then watch how high you fill it up! You do not want to walk away and allow for your tub to overflow. You also do not want to fill it so high that when you get into the tub and sink down you cause water to overflow onto the floor.

Your Drains

It is good to make sure that your drains are working properly. Be it in your bathtub, shower, kitchen or bathroom sink, if a drain is not draining properly it can lead to water pooling and sometimes flowing over out of the sink, tub, etc. You should clean out your drains often as hair, debris, food pieces etc can easily clog them.

Toilets

Be careful to not clog your toilets. While sometimes it is unavoidable, always make sure to have a plunger available in case it should be needed. If you know something has clogged your toilet, be it paper or something a child placed it in and flushed, than do not keep flushing it. Until you are sure the clog has been dealt with properly, flushing can cause your toilet to overflow. Should that happen, do your best to clean up any water immediately.

Plants and Christmas Trees

It’s almost Christmas! Lots of us just love freshly cut Christmas Trees. However, those trees, of course, require us to water them or to keep them in water. Make sure you’re keeping your houseplants, any flowers watered and/or fed with what they need in order to keep them growing. Make sure to keep that Christmas Tree from drying out as it can otherwise go from a potential water problem to a fire hazard. However, be sure to monitor how much water isn’t being absorbed by the soil, plants, or the Christmas Tree. Excess water can and often will seep through crevices and cause damage to your home’s foundation, create sinkholes and more.

Should you encounter any sort of water damage at your home than SERVPRO of Harrisonburg/Rockingham County, is here for you! We are open 24/7 and can be reached at 540-433-6100. To receive assistance with water, fire or storm damage, give us a call.