Water Damage Control in your Home
Water Damage in your Home.
Water is a wonderful thing. It keeps the grass green, keeps the shrubbery lovely and works great for the garden. Not to mention we need water to drink, shower, and flush away our sewage. Since our homes are largely constructed of materials that are destroyed by water in the wrong place, water needs to be properly controlled to avoid damage. When buying a home, doing renovations and repairs and in maintaining your home, here are several ways to control water damage.
Home Inspection
When you buy a home, have a home inspection done. This should find most water infiltration issues before you sign the contract, and you can make an informed decision about how to proceed.
Experience
When you hire someone to work on your home, especially if water is involved, hire someone who knows what they are doing. The possibility of water damage requires experienced eyes. Someone who has seen the damage water can do knows how to avoid damage in the future.
Roofs
Roofs need properly flashed. This is tricky business, and often leads to water problems if handled by the inexperienced. Chimneys are especially susceptible to water problems and need the attention of a pro.
Water damage can be controlled by careful attention to flashing especially at chimneys
Plumbing
The other area where water damage is most often seen is in plumbing, with toilets and showers/tubs being the worst. Proper tile work and proper setting of toilets go a long way in avoiding future problems. Problems can show up in fairly new construction if proper procedures were not followed. Proper installation done by experienced workers is well worth the extra effort. If you have reason to suspect a poor installation, inspect thoroughly or hire a home inspector to do it for you. Home inspectors can detect moisture where you may not be able to find it.
Careful installation of plumbing fixtures helps you avoid water damage
Qualify your Contractor
Qualify your contractor on the basis of experience, number one, and secondly, on ethics. If your contractor doesn’t care about you, their skills carry no value, and conversely, if they care but know little, you will not get proper service.
As far as maintenance is concerned, keep an eye out for moisture problems that can develop over time. Even with excellent material and proper installation, materials wear out and need attention. Neglect of worn out and deteriorated products will lead to damage. Detect leaks early to minimize damage.