Dealing with residential water damage is stressful. If you’re not prepared, it can become a disaster. Unfortunately, it’s not always possible to prevent water from getting into your home and causing damage. That said, you can do certain things to help you and your family prepare for such situations. Below are four ways to keep your home protected from water damage.

Be Prepared for Residential Water Damage

You may be surprised to learn that residential water damage often costs homeowners more money than any other type of disaster, even fires. Water damage is also more likely to occur than other disasters in the home. This type of damage can cause widespread issues throughout the house, affecting not only the structure itself but also its contents. One way to stay prepared is to keep your valuable possessions off the ground. This is especially important if you’re storing something in the basement or on the ground level of your home. Instead of placing items directly on the floor, use a secure shelving system to store them. If that isn’t possible, use pallets to raise items off the ground.

Check Your Basement

The basement provides extra storage in your home, but it is one of the most common places where water damage can occur. Even in areas that don’t experience frequent flooding, it’s still possible for water to seep into the basement. This causes water damage, mold, and other problems. Seal cracks in the basement walls that might let water in. Pay special attention to corners and the areas around windows. It may also be necessary to coat certain areas with a moisture barrier. Use a dehumidifier to remove excess moisture from the basement’s interior.

Don’t Forget About Your Plumbing

When most people think about residential water damage, they think about flooding from an outside source. However, you can also experience water damage from issues occurring inside the home. One of the biggest culprits involves plumbing issues, specifically burst pipes. It’s imperative to keep your plumbing in good working order. Have pipes and water tanks inspected routinely and address any issues that you find.

Keep Your Home’s Exterior Clear of Debris to Prevent Residential Water Damage

It may be hard to believe that flooding can occur inside your home just because you failed to clean the gutters or clear out the drainage ditch on your property, but it does happen. The best way to guard against such things is to safely maintain the exterior of your property. Make sure that water can flow freely through the gutters and into the drainage ditch. This will keep the water away from your home.

As previously mentioned, it’s not always possible to prevent all kinds of residential water damage. However, you can reduce the chances of such an event by following these simple steps. Even if you do experience water damage, it may be possible to minimize its impact by keeping your possessions off the floor. In some cases, you might want to move valuable items to an area where water damage is less likely to occur, like an upper floor. As long as you remain vigilant, it’s often possible to successfully mitigate the effects of residential water damage.

Delta Home Inspection provides inspection services to Mobile and Baldwin Counties in Alabama. Contact us to book an appointment.