Common causes of property damage and how you can protect your home
Our properties are absolutely precious to us as it often happens to be the heftiest investment that we make. Here are a few tips on how to better protect it.
We all hope that nothing ever happens to our house and while we wish that this is the case for all of us, it is important to be prepared for when things go wrong. Say for example, that a bad storm hits town or one of the pipes within the house bursts. This can and will create a lot of problems and damage and it will be expensive to repair.
Homeowners insurance is very obviously one of the ways to mitigate that risk; it will definitely help big time in covering the financial hardship that will fall upon you in times of crisis and despair. There are however, other steps that you can take in order to stop the damage from happening in the very first place. There is a new report doing rounds that can help us focus on exactly the things that are needed to protect our homes and property better.
Wind
Wind is one of the most important considerations that have to be made with regards to protecting your home from damage. It is not possible to stop wind from hitting your house, that is just not possible. It can cause a variety of problems and types of damage to your home and it would be very wise to be prepared for it.
Wind is, in fact, the most common source of damage to homes, according to a lot of studies. Strong gusts of wind have the potential to uproot trees completely. It can also cause a lot of damage to the roofing system of the house and can even send outdoor furniture like tables and chairs flying through windows, a very scary scenario indeed. A smart thing to do would be to take a look around the house and to see what exactly are the items in the home that can “fly” through windows or could hit your home and cause damage. It would be a good idea to keep trees pruned, strengthen the structures around the property and also to take items that may be projectiles indoors during times when the wind is particularly rough.
Non-weather related water
This is another very important issue to be wary of and that is damage from water. Water damage can really cause a lot of very expensive damage to the home and it even has the potential to make the home completely inhabitable. So it is very important to take proper precautions against this sort of damage from happening and to be prepared for it to the best of our abilities. Otherwise, you might find yourself filing a flood claim to your insurer.
When we think of damage that is caused by water, we almost always think of elemental water, as in water due to weather but that is actually not the case at all. It is actually the water that is inside the homes that are more commonly the main issue. A lot of the appliances found in a modern home have the potential to cause water damage. These include appliances such as dishwashers, washing machines and also toilets. These can all be the reason for leaks and that is highly undesirable inside a home especially.
The wise thing to do would be to know exactly where the sources of water are from and to also perform regular inspections on them and under the skins. If, for example, the washing machine that you are using at home has a rubber hose, it is imperative that you make sure to check it every year to make sure it is not wearing out. You may even want to replace the rubber hose with a hose made from stainless steel. If you are planning on going away from your home for a prolonged period of time, it would be really wise to turn off the main valve for water just for the peace of mind it will provide you when you are away.
Hail
This is another elemental source of damage to your home in your list. You may start to think that the elements do not actually want us to have our homes last. But if you take the proper precautions, you can go a long way in not only being able to minimize the damage as much as possible but also may even completely prevent the damage from happening all together.
Hails do affect a lot of the different parts of the country and truth be told, there isn’t much that can be done in order to prevent it from hitting our homes. It would also be a very good idea to have stuff that is outdoors to be put in protected places with sheds when a hail does hit the home. If you have a car for example, you should try to park it in a garage or a carport at the least. Other things that are suspect to damage from hail need to be moved as well indoors. This includes things such as patio furniture and other furniture that may be outdoors.
While you cannot just pick up your home and move it to a different location, the thing that you can do and it is absolutely advised that you do do it is to use materials for building that are much more resistant to these types of hazards.
Theft
If we were to go by the most recent FBI statistics, a burglary occurs once every 20 seconds. That is a very scary statistic indeed. The things that are put around the house can encourage or discourage someone from making your home a potential theft victim. If you have a lot of bushes or trees in your property, this could provide the potential thief a perfect place to hide from the street. Motion sensors should be installed to deter thieves and doors and windows must be kept locked at all times.
As a general rule, check your plumbing at least once a month and have a professional inspect it once every two years. You should know where your pipes, water, and plumbing components are located to check your property for leaks thoroughly. Also, track your water bills every month; a sudden spike could mean that there’s a leak somewhere in your home. Leaks are the usual culprits for water damage in many properties, so address them right away. Quick fixes can temporarily stop leaks, but make sure to replace damaged pipes or fitting soon to prevent the problem from getting worse. You can find quality PVC pipe fittings at Sprinkler Supply Store for your plumbing needs.
