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Easy ways to prevent water damage The home insurance industry reports that water damage in our homes is one of the most frequent and most significant claims in terms of monetary payout. Being proactive in checking certain items can prevent water damage, thereby saving time, money, and heartache, especially if water damages priceless items such as one’s wedding album or baby book, or the last known color picture of one’s wise old grandmother when she arrived in America at Ellis Island. The following tips and tricks are easy and inexpensive. When you’re gone Almost everyone has turned the dishwasher or washing machine on and then gone out to shop or eat, but doing so can provide an unpleasant surprise upon one’s return. Don’t leave water-using appliances operating if you’re not in the house, not even for short periods. If you’ll be gone for several days, consider shutting off the main water valve or having a neighbor or family member come by to check on the house at least twice a day, morning and night. In areas of the country that are subject to freezing, follow standard practices to help prevent the water pipes from bursting during the freeze. Water shutoff valves Know where the water shutoff valves are for the home and for each water-using appliance. The main water shutoff valve for the property typically is at the water meter, usually in a water meter box similar to that shown in Figure 1. An additional shutoff valve and pressure regulator (see Figure 2) are usually located close to the house or condominium, sometimes in the garage or at the side of the house where the water meter is (usually street curb side). Other areas to check for the valve is in the basement or the foundation crawl space. Sometimes the shutoff valve was moved during remodeling or repair work, so if you don’t know where yours is, contact your utility company or a plumbing professional. Shutoff valves should be checked at least annually, but before you try to do it yourself, make sure you have the emergency number for a plumbing professional. Valves quite often become stuck due to lack of use, and turning them can actually cause them not to fail. Whatever you do, don’t force it. If it doesn’t turn as easily as your garden hose bib, it probably needs to be replaced. Check for leaks There are several ways to check for leaks, all of them discussed in more detail later. First, check for corrosion, a common sign of a small leak or a soon-to-be leak. Next, check pipe connections with a dry paper towel. Don’t use a washrag or towel since moisture from a very small leak will probably simply be soaked up by the rag or towel. With a paper towel, moisture from a small leak will be noticeable. Store dry materials that you use on a regular basis—such as towels, napkins, bathroom tissue, etc.—in your sink cabinets. That way, whenever you pull out something that should be dry, if it’s wet, you’ll know you have some sort of leak. If you suspect a leak but are not sure, which can be common in wet areas of the country, check your water meter reading at night after everyone has gone to bed and then check it again before everyone gets up the next morning. If it’s changed, there’s probably a leak somewhere. This method doesn’t work well if one runs the dishwasher or the irrigation system at night, or if toilets and sinks have been used during the night. Upgrade the water supply pipe connections to metal braid at all water-using appliances, such as the washing machine, dishwasher, water heater, sinks, and toilets to help prevent leaks. There also are water sensors that can be installed near water heaters, washing machines, dishwashers, sinks, and toilets that sound an alarm if water is detected on the floors. Corrosion Corrosion and mineral accumulation from hard water is often found on pipes and shutoff valves in sink cabinets and at toilets, water heaters, washing machines, and dishwashers, as well as on faucets, handles, and shower heads. Although common, it can indicate leaks, static electric charges on metal pipes, improper connections between two different metals, and/or chemical storage nearby. Corrosion and mineral accumulation can cause shutoff valves to fail when used. If you see corrosion on pipes or shutoff valves, have it cleaned and checked to prevent water damage. Cracked tiles and deteriorated grout and caulk Many people pay no attention to cracked tiles and deteriorated grout and caulk, but doing so can result in significant water damage to the walls and flooring in and around the bathtub, shower, sinks, and toilets. Remember that water can penetrate even the tiniest hole or crack, and daily use of a shower or bathtub can result in the walls and flooring in and around the bathtub or shower being constantly wet. Such conditions can result in mold growth or total collapse of the walls. A bathtub falling through the second floor in a multi-story house is not unheard of. Creative repairs (see Figure 3) might save money in the short run, but Figure 4 shows what’s going to happen eventually, and that is a very expensive mess to clean up. Sink cabinets and chemical storage Think about what’s in your sink cabinets: the underside of metal sinks, garbage disposals with metal casings, copper water supply pipes, and plastic or metal drainage pipes. Plastic and metal are affected by corrosive chemicals, and continued corrosion (and rusting) can result in leaks. Unfortunately, most people store household cleaning products in the sink cabinets (see Figure 5) without realizing the consequences of doing so. Sink cabinets are the wrong place to store cleaning chemicals because, by their very nature, they are inherently corrosive. A bonus of not storing chemicals in sink cabinets is that children won’t be able to gain access to harmful and dangerous chemicals, and rarely does anyone take all those chemicals out of the sink cabinets to inspect the cabinet floor and the water and drainage pipes—unless they’re moving, a significant leak is noticed, or a young child is in the hospital after gaining access to the chemicals. Water supply lines and drain pipes should be checked regularly. Here’s how to do it on a daily basis with little effort on your part: Store dry materials (towels, bathroom tissue, boxes, etc.) in sink cabinets (see Figure 6). If normally dry materials are wet when you remove them, you know you’ve got a leak somewhere, so check for leaks in the water pipes or drain pipes, and check for cracked tiles and deteriorated grout and caulk around the sink and countertop. Have a licensed plumber repair or replace any plumbing components, and have the deteriorated grout or caulk repaired. So where should you store common household cleaning chemicals? A cabinet out of the reach of young children in the garage or at an exterior location is great, but if you must keep them inside, an upper hallway closet, the cabinet above the microwave oven, or the cabinet above the refrigerator make good interior locations. If it means that you have to go buy a step ladder to get the chemicals each time you need them, I think that small inconvenience is far better than the inconvenience of going to a funeral for a dead child or visiting an injured child in the hospital for several days. Regardless of where you store the chemicals, make sure container covers are tightly closed so that you don’t accidentally knock it over or drop it. If you do have to keep chemicals in lower cabinets or drawers—and you shouldn’t—make sure those cabinets and drawers have child-proof latches on them. Washing machine Although rubber hoses are usually installed as water supply connections at the washing machine (see Figure 7, yellow arrows), they should not be used on a permanent basis. Rubber hoses should be used like garden hoses: turn the shutoff valves on to fill the washing machine and then turn the valves off afterwards. This is rarely done because the valves are usually behind the washer where they are difficult to reach. However, when left pressurized rubber hoses will blister (see Figure 8) and burst. Replacing rubber water supply connections with metal braid (see Figure 9, yellow arrows) can prevent bursting. Another concern at the washing machine is the drain line. A plastic corrugated drain line typically comes with the washing machine from the manufacturer (see Figure 7, green arrow). It also should not be used on a permanent basis. Corrugated plastic is easy to damage after installation when the washing machine is pushed up against the wall, possibly causing a leak that is not noticed until water damage occurs. And the vibration of the washing machine during the spin cycle can cause the washing machine to “walk,” again possibly causing a leak that goes unnoticed until water damage occurs. And one more thing: plastic drain lines are subject to greater deterioration from the hot water full or washing chemicals that regularly drain through them. So have the corrugated plastic drain line replaced with a solid rubber hose (see Figure 9, green arrow) or a metal braid hose. Considering the damage that can occur from water, and the knowledge about water that washing machine manufacturers obviously have, one would think that manufacturers would want to supply the best connections with their appliances, but common sense does not seem to prevail here. So if you’re buying a new washer and dryer, and your installer shows up with the manufacturer’s cheap stuff as discussed here, ask them to upgrade all your connections. In fact, ask them for quality connections during your purchase so that they are sure to bring the connections with them at the time of installation. Dishwasher The dishwasher air gap at the sink (see Figure 10, silver cap) serves as a vent to help the dishwasher drain. However, it also serves as an overflow device if the main drain line gets clogged, so if your dishwasher is draining like that shown in Figure 10, call a plumbing professional. The slots in the air gap should always be facing the sink basin so that if any water draining from it will drain into the sink basin and not cause water damage to the countertop, floors, or walls. Be proactive Sediment in pipes can cause the water pressure to drop. Some people increase the water pressure to compensate, but water pressure that is too high can cause pipes to burst and can cause appliances and faucets to fail prematurely. Sediment in the pipes can also cause the pipes to become contaminated, leading to contaminated drinking water. Check regularly for signs of wear or loose connections, and be proactive in having an annual checkup and replacing the water supply and drainage connections every five years. A good time to do such maintenance is when you change the clocks in October and April. |
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