Posts Tagged ‘Water Damage’

Preparing Your Home for Vacation to Make Sure Small Leaks Don’tTurn into Floods

June 21, 2011 in Community,Pipe Leaks,Plumbing,drains and sinks,water heater | Comments (6)

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Water damage is one of the most common and costly disasters affecting U.S. residences and Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, The Punctual Plumber is on a mission to teach homeowners what they need to know about getting their homes vacation ready. Avoiding water damage is possible with the right preparation. As more Arizonans’ take to the road and the sky this vacation season my goal is for every homeowner to come back to their home and plumbing exactly how they left it – in working condition. Cracks in pipes as small as 1/8-inch can release up 250 gallons of water per day.

  • According to the National Flood Insurance Program a 1,000 square foot home with just one inch of standing water will cost the resident more than $10,000 in damages.
  • The cost doubles to $20,000 in damages with six inches of standing water.  
  •  In fact, according to theChubb Insurance Corporation 37% of all homeowners claim they have experienced losses due to water damage.  The Insurance Information Institute has said these homeowners and renters accounts for billions of dollars in losses annually.

It’s imperative to check the plumbing around the home before leaving for vacation. If they aren’t careful homeowners can return from their vacation to their very own exotic plumbing adventure.  There are several simple proactive things each homeowner can do to prepare and protect their homes for vacation. 

Here are my top 10 plumbing tips before leaving for a weekend getaway or a six month excursion:

Linda Stanfield showing ABC 15 Smart Family how to use the main shut off valve.

  1. Turn off the main valve to the plumbing system. Make sure the valve is properly working before walking away.  There will still be water in the system, but no new water will enter into the system while you’re gone. Only turn it off if nothing around your home needs water, such as pool fills or pumps that need water while you’re away.
  2. If homeowners can’t turn off the main valve: shut off individual valves under your sinks, behind the toilets, at the Reverse Osmosis unit, behind the refrigerator and behind the washing machine. Only turn off the valves that are in good working order.
  3. Even if the main shut off valve was used, be sure no valves or supply lines are wet or leaking before leaving by checking under each sink and toilet in the home.
  4. If there is plumbing behind the refrigerator, pull it out. Check to make sure nothing is wet or corroded behind the refrigerator.
  5. Look around both the homes water heater and softener for wetness and leaks. Each has their own shut off valves that can be used to lessen the chance of water damage.
  6. If the water heater is in good condition, turn the thermostat to vacation on a gas heater. On an electric heater turn the breaker off at the main electrical breaker box. This will avoid wasting energy for heating water while away.
  7. Add water to all drains, and BioBen, before leaving to keep them wet and will help avoid returning to odors.
  8. Walk around the outside of the home make sure nothing is leaking outside before leaving.
  9. Homes with drinking water systems, especially older systems, need to be careful of any cracks in the line. Cracks turn into breaks. Breaks are often the culprit causing water damage in many homes. Some systems can be turned off individually at the valve under the sink to lessen the possibility water damage.
  10. If the homeowner is going to be away for an extended period of time, ask a neighbor to stop in and walk around the home to check that nothing has broken or continues to run while away.

I know these tips are fairly common, but I also know that if they’re not followed they can cause serious damage and cost upwards of $5,000. When they are followed these simple tips will protect homes and provide the owners with a little extra peace of mind while away.

For more information about Benjamin Franklin, The Punctual Plumber   please visit: http://www.benfranklinplumbingaz.com/ or call 602-485-1111.

Follow these tips to avoid returning from vacation to water damage.

Top 10 Plumbing Tips Before You Leave on Vacation

June 30, 2010 in Plumbing | Comments (8)

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Plumbing is often overlooked in preparing your home before heading out on vacation.  Plumbing should be a priority, just as you prepare your ac unit or your pool before leaving. 

Don CeSar Beach Resort, St. Petes Beach, FL

I’m sure you know someone who has shared a painful water leak disaster story occuring while they were away. Having a mess on your hands and missing work is no fun. We want to help you avoid an unhappy ending to a great vacation and coming home to water damage or mold surprises. 

Most insurance companies will tell you that their number one homeowner’s claim is water damage and the top 3 items that cause these claims are:

  • Washing Machine Valves or hose failure
  • Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System that gets older and the lines break
  • Sink or toilet valves breaking off and leaking

All of these plumbing problems can incur a high amount of damage when no one catches the leak quickly.  Don’t become part of these statistics.

Here are a few helpful plumbing tips for your home located in Gilbert, Scottsdale, Glendale, or any other town in the Phoenix metro area. 

Top 10 Plumbing Tips Before You Leave on Vacation: 

  1. Turn off your plumbing main shut off  valve to your plumbing system.  There will still be water in the water system, but no more will enter into the system while your gone.  Please be sure the plumbing main shut off valve is working properly. Only turn it off  if nothing needs water around the home while your gone. Don’t forget your pool fill or any pumps you may have that need water while your away.
  2. If you can’t turn off your main plumbing shut off valve. You can shut off individual valves under your sinks, behind your toilets, at the Reverse Osmosis unit, behind the refrigerator and behind the washing machine.  But only turn off the valves that are in good working order. 
  3. If you turned off your plumbing main shut off valve, this is still a good time to look at all your shut off valves and supply lines under your sinks and toilets to be sure none are wet or leaking before leaving.
  4. If you have plumbing behind your refrigerator, pull the refrigerator out and check to be sure nothing is wet or corroded.
  5. Look all around your water heater and water softener, to be sure  you see no wetness or water leaking. These also have their own shut off valves, that can be turned off to lessen the chance of water damage.  
  6. If the water heater is in good condition, turn the thermostat to vacation on a gas water heater. On an electric water heater turn the  breaker off at your main electrical breaker box, to avoid wasting energy for heating water while your gone.
  7. Add water to all drains, and BioBen, if you have it, before leaving to keep them wet and avoid odors when you return.
  8. Walk around the outside of the home, make sure nothing is leaking before you leave the house.
  9. If you have a drinking water system, make sure your drinking water system is newer, as older lines on these units  crack and break and are often the culprit causing water damage in many homes. Some of these systems can be turned off indivdually at the valve under the sink to lessen the possibility water damage. 
  10. Have someone come in and walk around the home to check that nothing has broken or continues to run while your gone.

During the visual review of your plumbing system before you leave, none of your plumbing system should be corroded or wet, some plumbing parts will appear ok until you touch or shut them off.  All  parts of your plumbing system should be in good working order, able to be turned on and off without breaking, and problem parts should be replaced.

Older plumbing system can fail anytime.  But when you’re gone for consecutive days and something does break it will cause far more damage than when you’re home, able to spot and stop the break quickly. 

When you return home, remember what areas of your plumbing system you turned off and turn them all back on.  Please know that once water is turned back on you will get some bursts of air… that is normal.  Don’t get too scared from the blasts. It startles me every time even though I know it is coming. Leave the water run until the air blasts stop. 

We want you to enjoy your vacation and come home with great memories to share with your family and friends (not the story of how you found water damage and broken plumbing upon your return). 

If you feel uncomfortable reviewing your plumbing system, mention this blog, and we’ll provide you a free home inspection.  To help prevent broken plumbing and water damage while your away,  just call us at 602-485 -1111. And if you need a good plumber you can count on while you’re away please keep our number handy, we are here 24/7 to help in any plumbing emergency. 

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