There’s nothing worse than discovering one of your home’s water sources has caused water damage. Plumbing fixtures, sump pumps, and water heaters are all potential water intrusion hazards. Areas of flooring, underneath your sinks, walls, ceilings, and your basement are all at risk. Unfortunately, we see first hand just how detrimental water can be to the main structures of your home. Especially if it is undetected or if the property is not properly restored after such an event.
Water Intrusion Can Wreak Havoc on Your Home
One of the most common items found during an inspection is a lack of vapor barrier in a crawl space. This barrier prevents the rise of moisture from the soil into the floors of your home. We also regularly discover sump pumps not operating properly, which prevents extraction of water from the foundation of your home. Both of these issues can cause mold and fungi growth or damage to the foundation. Plus, you run the risk of inviting Wood Destroying Insects in. We typically find water damage occurs inside from leaky sinks, toilets, and showers. This can compromise the integrity of cabinetry, floor sheathing, and floor joists. Water intrusion can also occur through the roof coverings if they are damaged. This can lead to structural damage in your attic as well as the interior of your home.
Purchase Sensors That Can Detect Leaks
Fortunately, there are easy measures you can take to prevent this, potentially saving you money and the hassle of an insurance claim. If you do not have a system in place to notify you of leaks, we recommend that you purchase water leak detectors. These can be found easily at most local hardware stores. Once you purchase the alarms, you will install batteries (if necessary) into each device and simply place them near areas of “risk”. (Plumbing fixtures, sump pump, toilet, or washing machine) These sensors sound an alarm up to 100 decibels when it becomes saturated, notifying you of a leak.
Choose a Sensor That Fits Your Needs
A variety of these sensors are currently on the market. They range in price from $5-$35. The cheaper models of this type of sensor make a high pitched noise if water is detected in the area that it is placed. The more expensive sensors, one of which is manufactured by Ring, send an alert directly to your phone if the sensor becomes wet. It may be beneficial to place the sensors that can alert you remotely near fixtures that have the ability to cause major water damage, such as your sump pump. You could then place the cheaper sensors near fixtures that are less likely to cause severe damage if you are not home.
By taking this preventative measure, you will be able to catch the problem early and make the repair before the water causes permanent damage to surrounding areas.
This article was written by guest author Markham Inspection Services.
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