Top 5 Causes of Water Damage in the Home

Top 5 Causes of Water Damage in the home
1. Broken pipes&hoses – burst water main, aging old pipes, washing machine supply hoses and ice maker hoses that fail: Remedy – get Thee to Home Depot or Lowes and buy the metal braided washing machine lines and copper pipes for ice makers. Have a plumber come in and inspect pipes in old homes and replace them with PVC if necessary. A few dollars spent now is worth thousands later!
2. Accidents: Overflowing bathtubs or broken toilets. The most common cause: children! Anyone reading this post who has small children can relate – probably with a smile and a story of your own. Remedy - Watch kids! Water is fascinating – especially when it's flowing over the tub and toilet rim!
3. Sewer back up: Oooo, nasty! Most common cause: Tree roots invading and clogging drain lines – trees like the readily available fertilizer and water! Remedy: Home Depot and Lowes both sport "enzyme" drain treatments that can be flushed on a monthly basis during Spring and Summer months when tree roots grow most prolifically.
4. Long term basement humidity. The most common cause: hydrostatic pressure and aging infrastructure. The simple solution: install a dehumidifier. However, that's a symptomatic fix and only works for a small amount of water. For large scale water intrusion, contact the experts – home inspectors first – to get an assessment. Once you receive the report, and ONLY then, contact a basement waterproofing expert and make sure you get THREE quotes.
5. Flash flooding: This is the rarest type of water intrusion in the home. It occurs when you least expect it (like Monty Python's Spanish Inquisition) and in areas that traditionally don't expect flooding. Remedy – Always purchase flood insurance if available!
Remember: With any kind of water damage in the home, time is of the essence! Drying the home in three days or less prevents growth of toxic mold.