Top 6 Causes of Water Damage and How to Fix Them

Water damage is one of the most common, yet costly and burdensome problems a homeowner can experience. In today’s post, Huff ‘N Puff shares some of the leading causes of water damage in homes and explains how to prevent them.

Ice Dams

Ice dams are ridges of solid ice that form at the edge of your roof and prevent your gutters from functioning properly, leading to water damage in your home. The best way to prevent ice dams is to install heated gutters, which will stop ice dams from forming, ensuring that your gutters can continue draining precipitation as designed.

Natural Disasters

Unfortunately, there’s nothing you can do to prevent a natural disaster. If a strong storm hits your area, we recommend performing a careful inspection of your home to check for leaks, and to call experts to repair any damage promptly.

Plumbing Problems

It is important that you check not only your ceiling or gutters for leaks but also your water pipes in all areas of your house. Extreme temperature fluctuations can cause your pipes to burst, leading to major water damage in your home. Protect your property and have your plumber check your pipes regularly.

Damaged Gutters

Your gutters can easily become clogged from debris such as leaves and pine needles, or even small animals. Clogged gutters are a major cause of water damage among homeowners, as a clogged gutter cannot properly drain water away from your home. To prevent gutter clogs, we recommend investing in Gutter Helmet®, an innovative gutter protection system. We take pride in being your local dealer for Gutter Helmet. We offer a lifetime warranty for the product and 1-year warranty for our work.

Malfunctioning Appliances

Appliances are also prone to leaking. Washing machines, dishwashers, freezers, HVAC units, and water heaters all have parts that will become worn over time and could cause a leak. Be proactive and replace the worn out parts or invest in new appliances.

Flat Roof

A “flat” roof is actually slightly convex, so that water can run off of it and flow into the gutters. Accumulation of debris such heavy branches, however, can put a pressure on this type of roof, potentially causing it to collapse inward. Invest in professional roof inspections several times a year. You may also want to shop for replacement gutters.

For more information on how to prevent water damage, call us today at (855) 483-3678.