Last week seemed to be an unlucky one for a few of our customers. We had 3 emergency calls come in for serious flooding – and when I say serious, I mean serious! We’re talking one customer with major water damage to the 2 upper floors as well as basement of her home, another one who will have to redo the drywall and flooring in the basement, and lastly a customer that was forced to shut her business down for the day to deal with a water pipe leak.
Of course, nobody wants to have to deal with issues like this. The good thing is that the way to prevent these things happening is often quite straightforward! The key is to get ahead of it before it becomes and issue. I know, I know – here I am, just another person nagging you to take care of something and putting more worries on your plate. But please, take note of these ones! If they aren’t already on your list of things to do (which they won’t be), please consider putting them there. As you’ve been told by your parents and now me – “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!”.
OK nagging done – here are 4 of the most common sources of major flooding we see on a weekly basis:
1. Water Supply Lines
You know those flexible hoses that are under your sinks, connect to your toilet, and supply your washing machine? Those are some of the biggest culprits of causing a major flood in your home. According to one Australian insurer, IAG, failure of these hoses cause 20% of all water related claims. What we call “Braided” supplies are simply a rubber tube surrounded by a stainless steel jacket. While that braided jacket does provide some support to the rubber tube inside, it won’t fully stop it from bursting if it really wants to. These hoses have a general lifespan of only about 5-10 years, so I am willing to say it is likely time for you to replace them!
2. Burst Pipes as a Result of Cold Weather
This one can be a bit tougher to work against, but is still very important to do what you can! We’ve all heard the stories of water pipes bursting and no one wants it to happen to them. To get ahead of it, making sure that your pipes and the surrounding exterior walls are properly insulated is the most important thing. Also, be sure to properly shut the hose off in the winter, run faucets at a drip if they start to freeze, etc. Having a pipe burst in your home can do some major damage very quickly!
3. Sump Pump Failure
Just yesterday, I was speaking with a customer who remembers the days as a kid where the power would go out during a rain storm and the whole family would rush down to the basement and start bailing water from the sump pit as quickly as they could. This doesn’t have to be the case!
Making sure your sump pump is functioning properly each year is key. Arguably just as important is to consider the installation of a battery powered backup system. In the event that the power does go out, or your primary pump does fail, this backup system will get you through the worrying times without issue. It will also buy you time to have someone come in to take a look at the primary pump and what has gone wrong. If you want even more information, there are even systems you can hook up through your phone to tell you if there is an issue! That way when you are out of town or at work, you will get a notification if anything is going wrong and can have someone check it out right away.
4. Main Drain Backup
This is another one we are all aware of. Having sewage back up into the basement isn’t something anyone wants to deal with. Especially with our changing climate, this unfortunately seems to be happening more and more.
The good news is that there is a way to greatly reduce this risk! As you’ve likely heard, there is something called a “backwater valve” that will protect the drain system in your house from city sewage entering it. Simply using a flapper equipped with floats, if the water starts to back up from the city, that flapper will close and save you from the disgusting headache of a sewer backup. While it is definitely an investment, it is worth it!
If you are at all worried about any of this happening in your home, please click the link below to check out our Pro Plan Membership. As a member, you will not only receive discounts and an extended warranty, but also yearly inspections of the above and below ground plumbing in your home. It is just what you need to make sure that something like this doesn't happen to you!
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