According to the insurance industry, damages from water cost homeowners more than $6,000 per incident. Add to that the headaches of dealing with the aftermath, and you can see why it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Here are three water safety tips for any climate within your home:
- Know Where Your main Water Shutoff Valve Is. In case of an emergency, you don’t want to be running around looking for it. If you have a basement, you’ll probably find the main shutoff on the water pipe coming into your home. Just find it and let everyone in the house know where it is.
- Prevent Pipes From Bursting, Rusting or Overheating.
- If you have pipes running through unheated areas, such as a crawl space or garage, insulate them, or wrap them with heat tape.
- If such pipes can’t be insulated, leave faucets slightly open to a slow drip during frigid weather.
- Shut off pipes going to outdoor spigots; leave outdoor spigots open to drain any residual water.
- If you have pipes running through the ceiling of an attached garage, keep the garage door closed during cold weather.
- If you leave home for a few days or more, keep the thermostat no lower than 55 degrees. Consider shutting off the main water valve and draining the pipes before leaving.
- Replace rubber washing machine hoses with stainless steel to prevent bursting.
- If you live in a cooler climate shovel snow away from the foundation to prevent snow melt from leaking into the basement. And if located in a warmer climate be aware of pipes overheating.
When it comes to your home, don’t take any chances this winter. You don’t need the hassle and expense of a water disaster. For more safety tips and more contact your trusted real estate professional.