Water damage is a big problem in the United States. According to the Insurance Information Institute, residential property insurance claims for water damage totaled $1.2 billion in 2017, with claims rising by more than 16 percent from 2016. Avoiding water damage starts with a fall checklist. If you have recently experienced some type of water damage, you may already be familiar with these items. However, if you aren’t familiar with this list, having an itemized list to reference in your home could prove valuable. The longer you wait after a water incident occurs before taking action, the more likely it is that property damage will increase and/or additional unnecessary costs will be incurred.
Water damage is one of the most common issues homeowners will face. It can be caused by a variety of factors, including broken pipes and faulty plumbing. Left unattended, water damage can cause lots of headaches, including mold and mildew growth. Water damage does not always happen overnight — it can happen gradually over time, leaving you scrambling to fix the problem before it worsens and impacts your health or safety. To avoid these potential issues and help prevent them from happening in the first place, follow this fall checklist to avoid common water damage after a winter storm or during regular maintenance procedures on your pipes.
Do a thorough inspection of your roof, and especially shingles.
As you walk around your house, check for damage. Is there any shingle missing? Are the nails loose or missing? If so, it is possible that water has entered through these openings in the roof and caused extensive damage to your home.
The best way to detect a leak is by looking at how much water has accumulated on the ground below and in nearby gutters or downspouts. If you see more than one-half inch of standing water on top of carpeting or furniture before it can seep into other areas of your home (and not just pooling on top), then there may be leaks somewhere inside.
As soon as possible after finding this type of problem (which usually happens within 24 hours), contact a professional technician who can inspect your roof thoroughly and make recommendations about what needs repairing immediately—or if further repairs are needed after evaluating their findings during an inspection visit later on down road
Make sure gutters and downspouts are drained properly.
Gutters should be clean and free of debris, as well as pitch properly to allow water to flow away from the structure. If you have gutters that have been pitched incorrectly or are not draining properly, it’s possible that water will pool around your foundation walls and cause damage to your home’s structure. If you’re on a water main, you’ll want to make sure that the gutter or downspout is properly cleared as well.
Power wash and clean outdoor areas.
Power washing is a great way to clean your outdoor areas. You can use a hose and power washer, or you can rent an electric pressure washer from any local home improvement store. If using the latter option, make sure that you purchase the correct attachments for your specific model of power washer so that they fit properly and don’t wear out quickly.
If possible, try to keep all debris off of your lawn by sweeping it up with a broom or mop before power washing it in order to prevent clogging up pipes around house drains and other drainage systems used throughout homes; this will help prevent damage caused by blockages during winter months when snow accumulates on roofs and gutters causing them not run properly because there is too much weight behind it all together instead of just one thing at once like gravity pulling down into place where each part should belong rather than becoming unevenly distributed across several different surfaces within close proximity without getting stuck behind something else until eventually breaking free from being trapped between two ends without being able altogether removed completely from existence altogether completely intact yet still holding onto its original shape intact but now flattened out slightly outwards towards us as we look down upon our own reflection or mirror image formed after staring into ourselves long enough without blinking first?
Check and service your sump pump.
Always make sure your sump pump is working properly. A sump pump can save a lot of time and money when it comes to dealing with water damage in your home. They are designed to keep water out of basements and crawl spaces, so if one breaks down you’ll want to make sure it’s replaced as soon as possible to avoid further problems with flooding.
- How often should you service your sump pump? It depends on how much water is in the basement (and whether or not there are any leaks). If you have a small leak, it is probably okay to leave it alone; otherwise, check it once per month.
- What if I don’t have a sump pump? If you are building from scratch, consider installing one as part of your construction process. If you are remodeling an existing home and want to install a new system anyway (or if there is no way for water to get into the basement), ask about installing one during renovations—the contractor will be able to help make sure everything works properly before moving forward with installation.
Inspect your sprinkler system.
A lot of people forget about their sprinkler system and how important it is to maintain it. It’s important not only for keeping your lawn looking good, but also for preventing water damage from happening in the first place. If you find any issues with your sprinkler system, call a pro right away to have it checked out. Most water damage is only visible if you look for it. Many times homeowners don’t notice that their sprinklers aren’t working because they are not watering their lawn or garden as often as they should be. This can lead to dry patches in the yard, which are easy targets for mold and mildew to take hold of.
- Check the sprinkler heads to make sure they are not clogged.
- Check the sprinkler system timer to make sure it is working properly.
- Make sure the water is not running in an area where it doesn’t need to be or too long.
Call a professional.
Do not try to fix a wet basement yourself. You could make things worse by trying to clean up the water yourself without knowing what caused it, and then end up with even more damage than you started with. If it’s not too late for damage to be done, your agent can take steps to mitigate it before it becomes catastrophic. A professional will be able to identify what went wrong, so you won’t have to worry about ignoring any signs of mold growth or other problems down there until after it has been completely repaired by a professional team of experts who understand how water damage works and how it can cause serious damage if not handled properly.
If you have suffered a flood or any water crisis, you can contact our professional water damage company in Overland Park, KS: Emergency Mitigation Services. We offer 24/7 emergency mitigation services designed specifically for water cleanup services in Overland Park and are available to help you get back on your feet as quickly as possible. Our team will arrive at your location as soon as possible with specialized equipment and supplies that allow us to immediately begin cleaning up the affected area without delay.
Prevention is the key to stopping the havoc that water can cause.
Water damage is a serious problem, and it can be hard to know what to do in order to prevent it from happening. However, with the right knowledge and tips, you can make sure that no one ends up suffering through such an unfortunate situation again. Don’t neglect these basic tasks (or, better yet, schedule them on your calendar) and you’ll keep water spill damage at bay. No matter how dry your basement or crawlspace is, you still want to keep the area clean and organized. Cleanliness will help to avoid mold, mildew, and other bacterial growth that can cause damage to your home. By using the checklist above, you can take action now to make sure your fall is a safe one.