Six Mistakes Homeowners Make That Cost Them Big in Water Damage Repair

Photo by Blake Wheeler on Unsplash

Homeowners have a lot on their plate. Managing and maintaining a house is a never-ending chore, and it’s common to want to bump less pressing matters to the backburner. Water damage, however, is less of a sliding scale and more of an on/off switch. If you don’t have water damage, great! If you do, it’s serious by default. You can minimize water damage repair costs by avoiding these common mistakes.

1. Skipping Maintenance

“If it’s not broken, don’t fix it” is great advice for relationships, but a terrible attitude to take into your home. Regular maintenance to your appliances, septic system, and pipes are what will keep your home dry. When you avoid maintenance, you’re setting something up to break. Whatever it costs to keep your home maintained is less than a water damage repair bill will be.

2. Letting the Small Things Slide

If you have a small water leak, don’t push it aside. It may only be costing you a few dollars a month in wasted water, but it could be causing a lot more than that in damage to your home. Even a mild, outdoor leak could turn into something that could affect your foundation down the line. Take care of things ASAP and your home will do better in the long run.

3. Not Doing a Summer Shut Down

A lot of water damage is caused by exposure. Aunt Jane visiting over the summer and leaving the attic window open when she leaves can let a lot of rain in if you don’t catch it. Take a day every year towards the end of summer to walk through your house. Check for open windows and cracks in your siding, leaks, and so on. Make sure you go into the winter with a house that’s ready to take on anything.

4. Calling Someone in the Morning

A pipe cracks at 2:oo am, and you think to yourself that you’ll have to call someone first thing in the morning. That’s already too late. As soon as you notice water leaking or water damage, call a professional. A great place will have someone available 24/7 to take your call and even send someone out there if needed.

5. Thinking Frozen Pipes Can’t Happen to Them

If you live in an area with typically mild winters, it’s easy to think that frozen pipes won’t happen to you. However, even a typically mild area can freeze hard, and all it takes is one unusually cold day. That one cold day this winter could sink you–are you ready for it?

6. Not Getting Flood Insurance

Many homeowners think that, since they have homeowners insurance, they’re set. That’s unfortunately not true. Most homeowners’ insurance plans don’t cover flooding from an outside source. If the water level rises enough to flood your basement, your homeowner’s insurance probably won’t be able to help you. Find out where your house is, risk-wise, on your city’s flood maps. Then get the insurance that makes sense for you. It can save you a lot in the long run!

These simple mistakes can usually be fixed in no more than an afternoon. Getting the right insurance and locking your house down for the winter will help you be prepared no matter what. Don’t assume that frozen pipes won’t affect you. Be ready, and know who to call when things go wrong.