3 Steps to Prevent Water Damage During Your Vacation

3/17/2019 (Permalink)

There’s nothing worse than returning home from your vacation to find your belongings water damaged. Water damage is one of the most common homeowner’s insurance claims and much of it happens when people aren’t there to stop it. Before your trip, learn how a water pipe repair or other small steps can keep your Hall Park, OK, home from being flooded.

Causes of Water Damage

There are countless ways for water to wreak havoc. While you are present, there’s time to stop it. But while you’re gone, water from a broken pipe, for example, can spray uninhibited for hours. Some of the main sources of vacation water damage are:

• Water heaters
  
• Appliance hoses
  
• Sump pumps
  
• Pipes
  

While there’s not much you can do after the fact but clean up, there are a few steps you can take beforehand to reduce the odds of a watery outcome.

Examine Your Pipes

Pipes are natural culprits for leaks, so checks yours out if you’re leaving for more than a day or two. Check under your kitchen and bathroom sinks as well as in your laundry room. Wherever you see drips or excess condensation, make a water pipe repair before you go.

Check Appliance Hoses

Take time to look at the hoses to your washing machine, refrigerator and other water-using appliances. If you find a kinked or damaged hose, replace it.

Check Your Sump Pump

Sump pumps are a lifesaver, but only if they work. Look over your sump pump and listen to the motor for any sounds of malfunction. Filling the sump pit and running the pump to clear debris is also a good idea.
As much as a trip can reduce stress, coming home to water damage can induce it. Just one water pipe repair or hose replacement can reduce the risk. Use these tips and more from your local water damage specialist to keep your home front dry while you’re gone.