When considering water damage that could occur in your home, your first thought likely goes to damage caused by a flood. While a flood can certainly have devastating effects on your home, this is not the only type of water risk that you could face. Damage from a burst pipe can be just as damaging and just as difficult to fix. Here are some tips, then, of how to help prevent your pipes from bursting and what to do in the event they do burst.
Check Your Fixtures
Many modern Phoenix plumbing fixtures do a great job of conserving water. However, many of these fixtures rely on a higher water pressure in order to do the same tasks with less water. Therefore, it’s important to understand what your home’s pipes can handle when it comes to water pressure, and only purchase fixtures which keep the pressure threshold below that limit. A fixture above that limit won’t, in every situation, burst your pipes, but you put yourself at much greater risk by exceeding that limit.
Always Watching
Often, much of the damage caused by a burst pipe is due to the pipe bursting while you are away from your home, allowing the water to leak for many hours or even days before you’re able to shut off the water. To be able to react to a leak as soon as possible, it’s a good idea to install smart water monitors in various areas throughout your home that can detect the presence of water and then send you an alert on your smartphone. Even if you’re away on vacation, knowing that a leak is occurring can help you take action in order to minimize the damage caused.
Know Your Home
Another common problem faced by homeowners with a burst pipe is that they don’t know where the water shutoff valves are. It’s very important to study your home’s plumbing so you can react quickly in the event of a leak. Depending on how your home is designed, there will be a main shutoff valve to the whole home, shutoff valves for individual fixtures, and a shutoff valve by the street where the supply line is connected. Knowing where these valves are and how to operate them is crucial to saving time and preventing extensive damage to your home.
Call in the Experts
Of course, a leak of any size can cause damage to your home. After a leak has occurred, it’s important to call in our Phoenix residential water damage restoration experts to ensure that the leak has been entirely stopped, the area around it has been dried, and that any necessary materials have been replaced to prevent mold growth. Fortunately, if you follow the tips above, the damage that they’ll have to take care of will often be much less than it would otherwise.
