Keeping Your House Safe From Water Damage, Inside and Out

Keeping Your House Safe From Water Damage, Inside and Out

A Lot to Think About

In September of 2022, an extensive heatwave expanded drought, drying the ground of the mountains near the riverside, resulting in substantial flooding that hit on September 11 and 12 of that year, even causing evacuation in some areas. Water is destructive, and though its movements are known, managing them requires a professional suite of experience.

Just because you’re not dealing with massive volumes of water from a tropical storm doesn’t mean damages won’t come to your property. Even a small leak can cause tens of thousands of dollars in damages. If you’re dealing with water issues in the L.A. area, plumbing services in Pasadena may be a considerable option for you.

In this writing, we’ll explore a few issues related to the plumbing of your home as a means of helping you understand what you may encounter, and what to do if and when you encounter it.

Issues Related to External Run-Off

Because of the ample rain that came after the heatwave in September 2022, a massive level of infrastructure was impacted. The damages are still being calculated as of this writing, and cleanup is similarly underway. But your property could see a microcosm of such damages. The gutters on the outside of your property actually help preserve the foundation.

Water seeks the path of least resistance, and when you dig a foundation into the soil, no matter how qualitatively associated construction, new “paths” of “least resistance” develop, and these can build up small underground reservoirs that undermine the stability of your home’s foundation.

You want to be sure your gutters aren’t improperly draining or clogged in a way that sends water under your foundation incidentally.

Leaks Within Internal Plumbing Fixtures

So your sink has pipes that bring water from the main lines. Those pipes are commonly screwed together, but there are varying means of attachment that depend on repair, and the era when your plumbing fixtures were first installed. The older they are, the more compromised they are. That said, new construction can cause unintended difficulties.

A good rule of thumb is to have fixtures examined at intervals to determine what sort of issues you may have to deal with. If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it; but if you can see something is about to fail, addressing that only makes sense. Such leaks may come from under the faucet. They can also be on your walls. Look for signs of dampness like odors or mold if you suspect this.

Here’s a handy guide from BobVila.com to help you get an idea of where to find leaks, what they look like, and more precise steps on what you can do to treat them before the plumber arrives.

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Subterranean Leaks Related to City Water Connections

Water infrastructure installed underground fifty years ago may be impacted by subterranean roots, swift temperature changes that cause expansion or contraction, and other things. Sometimes a water main from the city bursts, and floods your basement. Not a lot of California homes have basements, so this might mean your home’s main floor floods.

Swift action is necessary if you notice standing water in your home. Turn off the main water line, quickly clean up the water, and use a shop vac as necessary. Get plumbing professionals over right away.

Reducing the Cost of Water Issues by Catching Them In Time

Water issues can impact your home from outside the house, from within its own walls, or from the buried infrastructure adjacent to your property. Whatever is the root cause of the issue, the faster you address it, the better.

Leaks won’t clear up on their own, they will just slowly get worse until they require more expensive repairs to address. The bottom line is, regardless of what your water issue is, if you can clear that issue up expediently, the outcome tends to be better. If you can’t catch the issue in time, there is still help available, it just tends to have a higher price tag.