One of the worst welcomes you can receive after a well-deserved getaway is the discovery that your home has suffered water damage while you were away. A water leak when someone's home to notice it and take action is bad enough, often causing substantial damage before the water valve can be turned off. However, a major rupture of a water supply line inside the house or inundation from outdoor sources like heavy rain or local flooding when nobody's around can be truly catastrophic. Not only irreplaceable valuables, family heirlooms and records are jeopardized, the entire structure of the house can be severely damaged.
Instead of worrying about water damage away from home, take these simple preventive steps before you leave:
- Shut off the main supply valve. If you don't know where the valve is, a plumber can show you and test it for proper, smooth operation. Everyone in the family should be aware of its location and how to turn it off and on.
- If the main supply water must be left on, turn off individual valves at major appliances like washers, dishwashers and icemakers. Toilets and sinks also incorporate shutoff valves on the wall behind or below the fixture.
- Inexpensive plastic supply lines to appliances and fixtures have a bad record of sudden rupture. Replace them with quality stainless steel lines available at any home center, and the sooner the better.
- Outdoors, check the gutters and downspouts for clogs from leaves or debris. Verify that roof runoff is diverted away from the walls and foundation of the home.
- If you're away from home frequently, consider an automatic shut-off valve that senses sudden loss of water pressure from a supply line rupture and shuts down the house supply valve.
For more information on preventing water damage while away from home, contact the water damage specialists at Rytech.
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