Practical Water Damage Prevention Tips for Your Alberta Home
Alberta is no stranger to floods. In the last decade, the province has had many big floods that harmed homes, infrastructure, and farmland. It's important to take precautions and use flood prevention measures to protect your home from water damage. The Krywolt Insurance team has some useful water damage prevention tips for Albertans.
But floods aren’t the only danger causing water damage to your home. Extreme weather, leaks in your doors, or plumbing issues can cause significant damage as well, so it’s crucial you take steps to prevent issues and ensure your home is properly protected. On average, in Alberta, water damage causes $1.5 billion in property damage every year, making it essential for homeowners to be proactive in their efforts to safeguard against potential water-related damage. By implementing regular maintenance routines, such as inspecting and repairing any damaged doors, windows, or plumbing, homeowners maximize their water damage prevention efforts and minimize the risk of expensive repairs.
So what water damage prevention measures can you undertake to protect your home and property? Our Calgary insurance agents share their water damage prevention tips for protecting your home in Alberta.
Why Is Water Damage So Bad?
It’s just a bit of water, right? What possible harm can it do? The thing is, unless you take steps to prevent water damage, a little water can do a lot of damage, especially if left unchecked. Water has a way of getting into places where it shouldn’t be, and it will always find the lowest level in a home. It can cause a series of safety, health and structural issues. Whether it’s a leak in your window sill, came in through a gap in your front door, a leaking plumbing fixture, a broken pipe, or a flooding event, Alberta homeowners must not underestimate the potential for issues that water damage can cause, and take steps to prevent major damage.
If left unchecked, even a small amount of moisture can cause damage that can lead to mold growth, rotting of wooden structures, and electrical hazards. Additionally, prolonged exposure to water can weaken the foundation of a building, compromising its structural integrity. To ensure this doesn’t happen in the first place, we recommend taking steps toward water damage prevention to avoid harm and costly repairs to your home and property.
What Can I Do To Prevent Water Damage?
As disruptive as water can be, there are ways to mitigate its effects and prevent moisture or water damage to your property. Ensuring there's no drainage issue on your property and regular home or plumbing maintenance can go a long way in terms of water damage prevention. While it can be hard to completely prevent water damage, you can take steps to lessen the risks and protect your home by implementing different types of water damage prevention measures.
Here are some water damage prevention tips you can implement to keep your home safe and dry:
Ensure You Have a Working Sump Pump
A sump pump is an essential device used to prevent water damage from basement flooding by removing excess water from the sump pit. In addition to protecting your basement, sump pumps also help to maintain a dry and healthy environment in your home.
A sump pump is a crucial tool in water damage prevention because it helps to remove excess water that may accumulate in your basement or lower levels of a building. By pumping the water out and away from the property, a sump pump can help prevent costly flooding and water damage, making them a crucial addition to any Alberta home in a low-lying area or for those living in areas prone to heavy rainfall or high water table levels.
However, that’s only if your sump pump works. If you have a faulty sump pump, homeowners could be at risk of significant damage to their foundation, belongings, and overall structural integrity of the building. So it’s important to regularly clean and maintain your sump pump, and contact a plumber if you notice any issues or have a faulty sump pump to ensure proper water damage prevention for your home.
Have a Working Backwater Valve
Backwater valves are an essential component in water damage prevention in that they prevent sewage or wastewater from flowing back into your home during instances of backflow. Additionally, it helps prevent water damage from potential flooding during heavy rain events or a sewer backup.
A sewer backflow or backup causes more than just extensive water damage. It can also lead to contamination of your home with harmful bacteria and other pathogens that can be found in wastewater, which pose some serious health risks to you and your family. So, it’s important to ensure you have a working backwater valve by contacting a professional plumber for maintenance to prevent water damage and worse issues from contaminated water.
Keep an Eye on Your Water Bill
As most of your plumbing infrastructure is hidden behind the walls of your home, one crucial water damage prevention tip is to keep an eye on your water bill. While it may seem like an ineffective water damage prevention method at first, your water bill tells you how much you use.
Issues like a pipe burst can make themselves known quite quickly with their dramatic water flow, but plumbing leaks can start out as a few drops of water, and the damage can grow if left unaddressed over an extended period of time.
If you start noticing higher-than-normal water usage or the amount of water you’ve been using has been increasing, but your habits haven’t changed, you may have a water leak, and should contact a plumbing service to fix the issue. Depending on when you catch it, you can prevent costly repairs or prevent water damage entirely.
Invest Time and Money in Home Maintenance
One key water damage prevention tip is to maintain your home. Often, water damage occurs because water can infiltrate various openings in your home or soak into your home’s foundation. So by maintaining your home, you’re taking steps towards water damage prevention. This includes:
- Sealing exterior wood structures such as decks or fencing
- Clean gutters bi-annually to prevent clogs
- Install gutter guards to prevent clogged gutters
- Fix leaks or cracks in your eavestrough and downspout
- Install downspout extensions away from your home
- Regularly inspect and repair your roof and exterior walls
- Check crawl spaces, basements, attic spaces, and other hard-to-reach spots for signs of water damage or wood rot
- Inspect your foundation wall for signs of cracks that could indicate structural damage
- Ensure proper yard grading or install drainage systems like French drains
- Ensure weatherstripping on windows and doors is in good condition
- Fix leaking plumbing fixtures
- Replace worn or damaged appliance hoses or other components
- Check appliances for leaks
- Prevent soil erosion with proper landscaping
- Invest in backup power supply systems in case of power outages
- Inspect your hot water heater for signs of leaks
- Install leak detection systems
- Keep basement floor drains clear
- Get basement waterproofing services to secure your basement walls
- Keep an eye out for discoloured or soft spots in your home
Ultimately, a well-maintained home is necessary to prevent water damage.
Store Things Off the Floor
If you’re in the basement or a lower level of a building, water damage prevention can be as easy as not storing things on the floor level or at least ensuring your floor storage is watertight. This way, in case of flooding, you prevent water damage to your belongings.
Water will flow down, and in the event of flooding, your basement or the lowest levels of your home will be at risk for water damage. Prevention measures such as ensuring you have proper window seals or a working sump pump can go a long way to prevent water damage, but in the event of a burst pipe or significant flooding in your community, taking care to protect your belongings, such as important documents, family heirlooms, and valuable possessions should be a top priority. Consider investing in waterproof storage containers or moving these items to higher ground to prevent water damage.
Additionally, especially in places that can come in contact with water, such as your yard or basement, look into getting water-resistant furniture or decorative items. This way, in case of heavy rainfall or flooding, you won’t have to worry about replacing damaged furniture or losing sentimental decor. It's always better to be proactive when it comes to water damage prevention and protecting your belongings.
Get Flood Insurance
Having insurance can provide water damage prevention as it can cover expenses for repairs and restoration in case of unexpected leaks or floods. This can give peace of mind and financial protection in the event of water damage. Additionally, your insurance agent will be able to advise you on the best ways to prevent water damage, such as installing proper drainage systems or leak detection devices.
They can also provide water damage prevention tips and recommendations for routine maintenance, like regular inspections and cleaning of gutters and downspouts. With their expertise, you can take proactive measures to minimize the risk to your property. Our Krywolt Insurance agents will be more than happy to speak with you about potential insurance coverage options, how you can prevent water damage, and how you can protect yourself and your property in the event of a flood, leak, or plumbing incident.