Don't let a water leak damage your home!

11/3/2017 (Permalink)

There are several things you as a home owner you can do to prevent water damage from happening to you. Here are a few examples of some simple things you can do to reduce your risk.

** Be careful where you plant

Some plants and trees, like weeping willows and elm trees, have pretty invasive roots. If you’re not careful, they’ll grow right into your sprinkler system, drainage field, pipes, and septic tanks. Plan before you plant to keep roots away from any water lines.

**  Keep an eye on your water bill

With the majority of your water pipes hidden behind walls and in the floors in your house, you might not know there’s a leak until the damage is done. That’s why it’s a good idea to keep a close eye on your monthly water bill. If you see it starting to creep up, or get one that’s uncommonly high, it’s a pretty good sign that you may have a leak somewhere

** Upgrade supply line hoses

Old, brittle or leaky hoses are among the most frequent causes of water loss for home owners. Checking or replacing the supply lines on your sink, toilets and appliances can potentially save you a lot of time, money and headache.  Replace yours every five years or so and you might avoid a mess and very expensive damage to your home.

** Never pour grease down your sink

You’ve probably heard this before, but you should definitely avoid pouring grease down your kitchen sink. It doesn’t matter if you flush it with hot or cold water. It can still congeal and cling to your pipes, and could still cause some serious damage and blockage.

Some people use detergent to break up grease before pouring it down the drain…and that may help sometimes. But there’s no guarantee that it’ll keep the grease from sticking to your pipes, so why take the risk?

The safest thing to do is just to pour your grease in an empty can, and either let it sit or put it in the refrigerator. Once it hardens you can toss it in the trash and get rid of it.