Do you know how water gets into your home in North Georgia?

Everyone has heard about homes being damaged by natural disaster floods, but you can suffer a great deal of water damage right inside your home from plumbing system failure, broken pipes, appliance breakdowns and more. You should regularly maintain plumbing, pipes and appliances in your home to avoid a water damage disaster.

Water heater failure: Read and be aware of the manufacturers warranty on your water heater as you may start to have problems around this time. While most people don’t do this, you should have your water heater inspected by a plumber every two years during the warranty period and every year after the warranty expires.

Toilet Failure: Your toilet can overflow very quickly. Shut off the water to the toilet immediately at the supply valve if it overflows or looks like it will overflow. If you have a clog and can’t get it to drain properly, don’t flush and call a professional to inspect the reason for the clog. It could be unseen tree roots causing the problem.

Sewer Backup: Many homes have sewer lines containing tree root invasion. These roots grow into the lines via tiny pipe cracks as the tree roots search for water, forcing their way into the pipes. Spring and summer when tree roots grow the fastest is when you will most likely have the most problems. Call a professional for a tree root intrusion inspection before you end up with a smelly sewage backup that could be harmful to your health.

Broken Pipes or Hoses: Keep an eye on your pipes for deterioration such as bloating lines, discoloration of water, flaking or dimpled areas as these are signs of pipes about ready to burst. If you have a slab leak, there is a good chance you could have an underground burst pipe.

Washing Machine Failure: Flooding and water damage from washing machines are usually caused from the supplied rubber hoses. They are under a lot of pressure and are not very stable and can burst very easily, especially when using hot water. It is best to replace them with metal braided hoses to prevent this from happening.

Flash Flooding: Not being the most common form of home water intrusion, flash floods happen more often than you think. Desert areas have flash floods quite often due to the ground being so dry and hard and not being able to absorb the water fast enough.

There are many reasons for your home to be water damaged. You should check with your homeowner’s insurance policy to see what your policy covers and make adjustments such as adding coverage riders to protect your home and contents.