Dealing with water damage is never fun. Taking care of your plumbing can go a long way in preventing such problems.
When people think about water damage, they usually think about massive flooding. Sometimes this happens with outside water during downpours or natural disasters like hurricanes, but there is also plenty of water inside your home already that can do damage. All of the water flowing through your pipes is a potential plumbing disaster, if something were to happen to you pipes, appliances, or fixtures. And it doesn’t take much water to do damage. Here are three common types of water damage that you should avoid in your home and how you can easily prevent them.
Burst Pipes
Burst or leaking pipes are the biggest culprit of home water damage and can cause the biggest plumbing emergencies. These pipes run all over your home, in the walls and ceilings, under the floors, and even in cabinets. Over time they can clog and burst, succumb to rust and corrosion and start to leak, or even freeze and rupture in the winter. Visually inspect your pipes at least annually, or have a plumber come out to do it. You should also listen for odd creaks or noises in the walls when you run water and be on the look out for other warning signs of a leak.
Washing Machine Malfunction
Washing machines don’t cause flooding all that often but when they do it’s usually a big problem. This isn’t because of anything special about the machine, but more so because we usually start the machine and leave the area (sometimes even leaving the house entirely) while it runs. So if it malfunctions, we usually aren’t there to catch it and turn off the water. The best way to prevent this is to be good to the machine. Don’t routinely overload and overwork it and make sure you are doing periodic inspections and maintenance, especially of hoses.
Toilet Overflow
An overflowing toilet is no one’s idea of a good time. Beyond the sizable “yuck” factor, they can cause a huge mess. Even if it is just water that overflows (almost never the case), just that water can do a lot of damage. The damage can even range into the thousands of dollars, especially if the overflow is upstairs and it leaks into the ceiling and down to the lower floors. Regular maintenance and inspection of the toilets is the best way to make sure they don’t flood because of a mechanical issue. As for clogs, make sure your whole household knows what can and cannot be flushed and always keep a plunger handy.
Call Mahon Plumbing Today
If you’re ready to see how an upgrade can help your home, the experts at Mahon plumbing are here to help. Mahon Plumbing has been serving the Baltimore region’s plumbing needs since 1994. We’re ready to offer quality plumbing services and gas installation for both commercial and residential uses. Our tracks and employees are ready to handle the toughest of jobs.
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