Water damage can be a homeowner’s worst nightmare! It can cause a lot of damage to your property, but also potentially lead to expensive repairs and insurance claims. Thankfully, with a few proactive steps, you can reduce the risk of water damage in your house.
1. Regular Maintenance
The best remedy is prevention! Make sure your roof is in good condition and free of leaks. Inspect the gutters and downpipes to ensure they are clean and directing water away from your home. Also, check your home’s foundation for cracks or signs of moisture getting in.
2. Keep an eye on the plumbing
Household appliances such as washing machines, dishwashers, and fridges can be potential sources of water leaks. Regularly inspect them for signs of leaks or wear. Check under sinks for drips or signs of moisture and mould. Where possible, throw your eye over pipework and plumbing around the house, especially at valves and joints.
Spending a little bit of time on prevention could save you a whole lot of hassle down the line!
3. Know Your Water Main
Knowing where your water main is located is crucial in preventing water damage. If a leak occurs, turning off the water main can minimize damage until the issue can be properly resolved.
4. Take precautions before holidays
If you’re going to be away from home for an extended period of time, consider turning off your water mains. This can prevent water damage from leaks that might occur in your absence. Or is there a trusted family member or neighbour that can check on things while you’re away?
5. Insulate Pipes
We don’t get many serious cold snaps in Ireland, but it’s good to be ready for when we do. Pipes can freeze and burst, leading to serious water damage. Insulating your pipes can prevent them from freezing during cold snaps.
Make sure you have adequate Home Insurance
Preventing any sort of water damage is the ideal of course. However, accidents do happen, and you want to make sure that you have the best possible Home Insurance policy in place just in case.
AA Home Insurance comes with Home Emergency Rescue to give you that extra peace of mind. In addition, you can get extra discounts by having more than one AA product such as Membership or Car Insurance!
