Preparing Ahead to Avoid Flood Damage: Part 2

In our last article, we discussed some ways you can avoid damage to your home from flooding. However, there’s a lot to cover on the topic, so we’re back with more! Flood damage can cause thousands of dollars in repair costs, so New Canadian Drain and Plumbing wants to ensure our customers know how to prepare.

The last article we posted, Preparing Ahead to Avoid Flood Damage: Part 1, talked about protecting your home to minimize damage during a flood. But now we’d like to tell you how to prevent flooding in the first place.

Cold Proofing

One of the easiest ways to gain a burst pipe is by letting them freeze in the winter. Properly protecting them during the cold months will go a long way toward ensuring they last.

Here are some steps you should take to keep your pipes warm in the winter.

• Open interior doors. This allows warm air to circulate better throughout the house. Keeping the pipes warm will ensure water doesn’t freeze in them, expanding and causing a rupture.
• Close exterior doors. When you’re not coming or going, keep exterior doors closed to keep cold air out. This especially includes your garage door. Many people have their hot water heater in the garage as well as other parts of their plumbing.
• Heat your home while you’re gone. If you go on vacation in the winter, it might be tempting to drop your thermostat down to save money. However, setting it below 50 degrees Fahrenheit can lead to ruptured pipes.
• Insulate your pipes with foam insulation to keep them warm. If you want to keep your pipes from freezing, insulation will go a long way toward keeping them warm.
• Seal your windows. If you notice drafts coming into your home, check for cracks in the perimeter of the window. Caulking should be enough to seal up those holes and keep cold air outside where it belongs.

Watching for Damage

The next thing to be careful of is wear and tear. Pipes will often burst due to wear and tear or incorrect installation. Here are some signs of wear and tear that you should watch for.

• Discolored water. This can be a sign of rusting in your pipes. Rust corrodes pipes and can lead to holes in the metal. Even a small hole in a pipe can lead to a flooded bottom floor in less than a day.
• Hard water is a menace. If you have hard water, you should put serious consideration into buying a water softening filter. Hard water means you have a buildup of minerals in your water. This is often caused by having a well water source for your home. The minerals in your water can build up in the pipes, causing higher water pressure and leading to ruptures.

Professional Maintenance

One of the best ways to ensure your pipes stay safe and keep from bursting is having professional maintenance. Getting a pair of practiced eyes checking over your plumbing system can prevent serious damage to your home. Give us a call and New Canadian Drain & Plumbing if your plumbing hasn’t been checked up in a while or if you suspect damage.