Preventing Water Damage in Your Home

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

02 Feb 2009 08:13 AM

Imagine arriving home after a busy day and finding that your carpet is sopping wet or your hardwood floors are ruined under inches or even feet of water. Water damage can be expensive to fix, but yet it can usually be avoided with some preventative maintenance. Here are some steps that you can take to help minimize the risk that you will be faced with water damage in your home.

Know the trouble spots

If you are aware of the spots in your home where water damage is most likely to emanate from, you can do a lot to prevent it from happening. Here are the potential water trouble spots in your home: Washing machine (hoses and tub), toilets, sinks, refrigerator (ice maker), kitchen plumbing (under the sink especially), shower, bathtub, hot water heater, sump pump, roof (leaking roof, missing or damaged shingles, missing or damaged chimney flashing), and dishwasher.

Inspect for problems

Having a quick inspection once a week throughout your home can go a long way to prevent water damage in your home. A small leak can quickly turn into a deluge if it is not addressed. Washing machines are notorious for causing water damage. Hoses should be replaced every three to five years, and hose connections throughout your home should be checked regularly. The ice maker and the dishwasher have hoses that could potentially come loose or leak.

Avoid kinks and punctures

Whenever you have soft or flexible hoses, you want to avoid getting kinks in them. Kinks can make water back up or cause tears in the hoses. One way to reduce the risk of kinks is to keep appliances at least four inches from the wall and to take care when moving appliances. You don't want to puncture a hose accidentally. It is always a good idea to tun off the water to the appliance before you move it.

Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, creating a home in the Home Blog, caring for little ones in the Baby Blog and now relationships in the Marriage Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here or subscribe to the blog using the subscription box on the right.

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Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

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