Imagine being at work and looking forward to coming home to your comfortable home, only to discover, upon arrival, that your house is flooded. This scenario unfolds every day in American homes. But instead of coming home from work or vacation, the homeowner may just be getting out of bed.
There are many reasons why home flooding happens. But whatever the reasons are, the impact of the problem on the home is almost always the same, says Keyrenter North Dallas Solutions. Long after a flooding incident is forgotten, its impact will continue to haunt the home. Some of the long-term and short-term aftermaths of flooding on a home include:
- Exposure to disease: Dumping sewage water into your house, overflowing toilets, and backed-up sewer lines expose you to the risk of waterborne diseases
- Structural problems: If your house has suffered severe flooding, it may eventually experience structural issues, such as shifts or cracks in the building foundation.
- Mold and mildew growth: Flooding exposes your family to the risk of mold sickness by creating the right conditions for mold and mildew to flourish in the building.
- Electrical and gas hazards: Flooding increases the risk that water will come into contact with your home’s wiring. Flooding also increases the potential for dangerous gas leaks.
- Property damage: In addition to damaging your drywall and flooring, flooding will destroy your appliances, electronics, furnishings, and other personal belongings.
- Contaminated drinking water: When your home floods, unsanitary water from the toilet, sewer system, and drain lines can enter your drinking water supply.
- Reduced property value: Flooding can hurt your home’s market value. Buyers are often wary of buying homes that have experienced flooding in the past.
What are the root causes of most home flooding incidents, and how can you avoid them?
6 plumbing mistakes that can cause home flooding
Although homes do get flooded as a result of natural disasters, the leading cause of flooding in homes is neglected or undiscovered plumbing problems. Flooding from natural causes is often a seasonal occurrence, but plumbing mistakes can happen at any time of the year.
Examples of key plumbing mistakes that will expose your home to flooding include:
Burst pipes due to neglected maintenance
Water pipes don’t just burst for no reason at all; they have to be old, worn-out, exposed, poorly installed, or have substandard materials. Homeowners sometimes think they can save money by neglecting to replace an aging pipe or failing to protect a water pipe by winterizing it properly. Mistakes like this cost you because they only end up causing a flood in your home.
Ignoring minor pipe leaks
Every big river was once a small stream. Similarly, the plumbing issues that eventually cause flooding in your home often start as a trickle. It is hard to see how the slow leak you have not found the time to fix can transform itself into a devastating flood inside your time. The fact is, it only needs time. Given enough room to get worse, even the smallest leak in your home can eventually become a disaster.
Overlooking clogged drains
Recurring drain clogs and blockages are some of the most underestimated signs of impending flooding. If the water inside your drain lines doesn’t have a place to go because the line is clogged with debris, hair, mineral buildup, and soap scum, it will back up into the house. Mild but recurring drainage issues in your home are a sign of bigger problems in your drainage system.
Failing to fix faulty appliances
Faulty appliances are often the guilty party in many cases of home flooding. Dishwashers and washing machines can easily leak and flood your home if one of their seals fails or a hose bursts. The trouble with these kinds of problems is that they are very hard to detect. You only become aware of the issue after the damage has been done. This is why it is important to inspect your appliances periodically.
Unattended water heater issues
Flooding due to water heater malfunctions is another common problem. The water heater issues may be the result of corrosion or leakage from long-term sediment buildup inside the tank. It could also be due to a faulty drain valve or TPR valve. There is also a chance that the hot and cold water lines may be leaking without the homeowner’s knowledge.
Flushing the wrong items into the toilet
How toilets are used plays a role in determining whether the home will suffer from flooding. When the wrong items are flushed into a toilet, the potential for blocked drains and overflowing toilets increases. The only things that should enter the toilet are human waste, water, and toilet paper. Anything else can cause flooding inside your home.
How can you stop these plumbing mistakes from causing a flooding disaster in your home?
You must deploy measures to help you find and fix the issues before they become a menace. That means creating a preventive plumbing maintenance plan for your home. If you are afraid of your home flooding and need a competent plumber to help you avoid this problem…