Introduction

According to Mark Roemer Oakland, water damage comes out as one of the top reasons for property-related loss. While most homeowners prepare their homes for winter, a lot of them skip leak checking and other measures to protect against water damage. Let’s figure out how to protect your roof and home from water damage:

The Protection

  1. Educate everyone about the stopcock – You may be a concerned homeowner who knows about every stopcock and its location in your home’s plumbing system. However, when there is a major leak and you’re not at home, that knowledge is going to be useless. Educate all your family members about the location of stopcocks and teach them how to use them so that they can block the flow of water in case there is a leak. Shutting the water supply gives you enough time to fix the leak by yourself or by hiring a professional.

  1. The perpetual check for leaks – Minor leaks are hard to notice and can build up to do extensive damage if not fixed early. If the leak doesn’t do any damage to your home, it will put a dent in your wallet. A leaky tap wastes over 50 gallons of water a week. You end up paying more for water and don’t do the planet any favor. That’s why it’s important to proactively check for leaks. Check for stray water under your sink, near the washer and dryer. You can also monitor your water bill and if the bill for a certain month is a lot higher than the usual average, you’ll know it’s time for a thorough leak inspection.

  1. Inspect your roof – Go to the attic and check if there are any signs of water leaking through the roof. Check for brown stains on the plaster and damp spots on the joist. When you go for an external rooftop inspection, check for early signs of damage. Check if the flashing that surrounds your chimney is still in good condition or are there any damaged spots for water to leak through.

  1. Clear the gutters – Blocked gutters are a common problem and unless you’re rich enough to afford an automated roof gutter cleaning robot, you need to stick to manual inspection. The gutters may be blocked from time to time due to dead leaves or even from moss and weed buildup. One of the easiest ways to check for blocked gutters without going up the ladder is to notice any sag on the gutter or to look for water running down the side of your home.

  1. Pipe insulation – If you have exposed pipes in your plumbing, you should get them insulated to prevent water damage. One of the easiest and most affordable ways to do it is snap-on pipe insulation.

Conclusions

Mark Roemer Oakland suggests that you do these inspections and implement these measures to protect your roof and home from water damage. They are relatively easy to execute and save you from potentially thousands of dollars in loss.