Although water is an essential, life-sustaining element, it can be particularly villainous to our homes. Water damage can cause a home’s foundations or roof to rot, creating fatally hazardous situations. What’s more, water damage usually leads to mold, which causes such symptoms as watery, itchy eyes, a chronic cough, headaches or migraines, difficulty breathing, rashes, tiredness, sinus problems, nasal blockage and frequent sneezing. In short, water damage isn’t good.

These problems don’t only arise from heavy rains or floods damages, either. There are some very common, household occurrences that cause water damage, too. Four of the most common causes of water damage are: leaking/broken pipes, accidents, sewer back ups, and basement humidity.

If you catch it early, it’s possible to clean up water damage without having to call in any professionals, but if not, the repair bills can be pretty staggering. However, the best method of taking care of water damage is knowing how to prevent water damage.

So to help you keep nasty mold, hazardous situations, or worse–expensive repairs–away, here’s a short list of some tips on how to prevent water damage!

1. Clean Your Gutters.

Keep your gutters clean and clutter free. It’s also a good thing to make sure that downspouts are about five to ten feet away from your home. This ensure that you have good drainage, which without, would cause foundation weakening, cracks, uneven settling, and entryways for water to get in to your home.

2. Prepare Your Basement.

Keep a dehumidifier in your basement, and also install a sump-pump down there, too. Humidity stagnates in your basement, which can overtime cause drastic water damage, and ruin all of the things you store down there. Also, it’s a good idea to install a sump-pump in the event that a sewer main breaks, or some other such situation arises.

3. Fix Your Leaky Pipes.

To know how to prevent water damage, one must also know how to do simple plumbing repairs. Check under your sinks for any dark spots, which indicate leaks that lead to mildew, mold, rot, carpenter ants, and termites. It’s also a good idea to check your roof for leaks, too.

These are only a few of the ways you can know how to prevent water damage in your home. Knowing how to prevent water damage can minimize health risks, and help you avoid expensive repair bills. If you have any questions on how to prevent water damage, feel free to ask in the comments. If you have any other tips on how to prevent water damage, feel free to share as well. Learn more: ameridry.net