One of the first places to start when trying to prevent water damage is outside your home. Ensuring that rain and flood waters run away from your home instead of settling around the foundation is essential to prevent the weakening of it. Water will not only cause structural damage, but it will loosen the soil in the ground around the house and cause it to sink over time. Steps as simple as making sure soil at the base of the home is piled upward so that water drains away from the foundation rather than towards it can prevent costly problems later down the road.
During particularly rainy seasons, your gutters may not be able to cope with the amount of rainfall occurring. In such a case, water isn't guided by the gutters away from the house towards drainage but instead often makes its way to the foundation of your home as it spills over the gutters. Ensuring your gutters are large enough to handle the seasonal rainfall can prevent costly repairs and damage to your home later on.
It is also recommended to check your gutters every 6 months to make sure that they are clear of debris, especially if there are trees over your roof or near your home. A gutter clogged with leafs, sticks, or anything else that can prevent water from flowing will prevent your gutters from doing their job!
Your roof should be built at such an angle that water is not able to collect or sit standing for an extended period of time. Standing water on your roof will cause weak spots and will eventually leak into the home, which could lead to problems such as weakened roof supports and mould among other problems.
Ensure soffits and roof vents are not blocked and that air can flow freely. This will reduce the buildup of moisture (which can lead to problems such as mould).
A leaky roof can allow moisture to build up in your attic leading to many problems including mould. Replace missing, curling, cupping, broken, or cracked shingles and if necessary replace the roof if the problem is not limited to a small section.
Periodically check for leaks under the sink where the hose connects to the water supply. Look around the base of the dishwasher for evidence of any leaks, such as discolored, warped, or soft flooring materials, or water damage to nearby cabinets.
If your refrigerator has an icemaker, it is important to check the water supply line connections and make sure that they are not loose. A wet spot on the floor may be a sign that a crimped icemaker line is about to burst.
Replace deteriorated caulking around sinks, and check the plumbing under the sink for leaks. If your sink is slow to drain, it may indicate a partially blocked drain that needs cleaning.
Remove and replace deteriorated or cracked caulk and groat. A broken supply pipe behind the wall can leak water through these damage sealants, causing soft areas around nearby walls and floors. Leaking drain pipes and shower pan leaks are also common sources of water damage.
A toilet which tends to overflow from clogs should be replaced. Some chlorine tablet cleaners may also corrode internal plastic or rubber parts causing the toilet to leak eventually.
Water heaters typically last no longer than 14 years, some can fail as early as 8 years or less. Wet spots on the floor or a rusted tank may signal a leak. Water heaters should be installed on the lowest level of the home with a floor drain very close by.
In the event of a power failure, a sump pump cannot do it's job. A sump pump with battery backup can save potential disaster in the event of a power failure (which is often accompanied by heavy rainfall!). Sump pumps are not intended to last more than 10 years and must be serviced or replaced before this time period.
The Institute for Business & Home Safety offers the following tips:
The following are common building-related sources of water intrusion:
Hire a qualified GTA Restoration inspector to perform an inspection of the following elements of your building to ensure that they remain in good condition:
Your basic policy covers you against certain types of water damage. For example, it protects you in the event of leaks caused by:
Optional Coverage you can add optional coverage to your policy to protect you against:
Do you have enough coverage for water damage? Determine how much coverage you need.
With 24+ years of experience, GTA Restoration offers 24/7 emergency water damage restoration services in Toronto & the GTA.