Resolved to Avoid Disruptive Home Water Damage in the New Year?
Minimize Water Damage Risk Exposure with Preventative Inspection and Prompt Maintenance
Ignore at your peril water incursion and lingering moisture posed to cause severe destruction to both the structural components and the contents of your comfortable abode or robust business. Rather than merely living and working in fear of water damage consequences, National Disaster Recovery (NDR) recommends periodic evaluation of your home’s water damage risk and immediate restoration, repair, or replacement of compromised materials and systems. What better time than the start of a new year to embark on this routine?
Which Routes Does Water Follow to Invade Your Home or Business?
NDR notes the majority of incursions group among the following four broad sets of circumstances:
-Leaks of roofs and associated materials
-Ruptures of plumbing and appliance lines, pumps, tanks, and hoses
-Overflows of sinks, tubs, showers, and a wide range of water-containing containers
-Flooding from storms, waterway or dam breaches, municipal water supply breaks, and more
How Does Water Damage Manifest in Homes and Business Properties?
If unabated water damage occurs, minor to catastrophic effects follow, including the eventual inability of load-bearing structural components to sustain structural integrity. NDR urges inspection for water damage risk exposure and preventative maintenance to avert:
-Swelling and distortion of wooden building materials, fixtures, and contents
-Corrosion of metal fasteners and building supports
-Deterioration of drywall, ceiling tiles, and insulation
-Pooling of fluids and potential structural collapse
-Delamination of carpeting and engineered wood surfaces
-Ruin of household or business contents
-Secondary water damage, chief among which are mold damage and malodors
What Inspection and Maintenance Strategies Thwart the Consequence of Water Damage?
Roof Leakage
NDR suggests routine professional inspection plus immediately remediating your property’s roof and drainage systems, including:
-Shingles and the underlay — decking, felting, vapor barriers
-Flashing around vents and chimneys
-Insulation and seals
-Gutters and downspouts
Plumbing and Appliance Ruptures and Fails
Slow leaks and cracks can be difficult to discern, but failure to check aging pipes and other conduits and tanks for weakness can result in a water damage crisis. Signs alerting property owners to looming water damage issues:
-Unexplainable increases in water usage
-Damp or crumbling building materials
-Musty odors
-Puddling near cabinets or walls concealing accumulated water
-Persistent sounds of water running
Overflows and Spills
Tubs, showers, sinks, aquariums, vases, and many more containers can allow water to spread into building materials. To block:
-Check and repair caulking
-Install and properly operate shower curtains and doors
-Limit splashing in undrained spaces
-Monitor water receptacles for cracks and leakage
Natural Disasters and Accidental Flooding
Severe wind and heavy precipitation or failures of pipelines, levees, and dams all affect surrounding properties. Prepare for extreme weather and keep apprised of other crises that could send water flooding in your direction:
-Install sump pump systems and keep in sound repair
-Landscape using rain gardens and proper sloping at the exterior perimeter of your foundation
-Partner with a local flood damage restoration firm to develop and implement a proactive plan for water disasters you cannot control
Property owners seeking professional inspection and maintenance assistance rely on NDR’s vetted lists of licensed and certified water damage recovery contractors. Check out the options in your area.
Facebook
RSS