Home Maintenance Preventing Water Leaks

Maintenance is important in your home if you want to avoid toxic mold. Water leaks can be avoided by simple maintenance on a regular basis. When was the last time you checked out the hoses to your washing machine or your toilet supply line? This is the type of inspections in the home that any homeowner can do to prevent water leaks. Dripping faucets will eventually leak to a more serious plumbing leak in the long run.

Water Leaks Source

Recently, I personally had to deal with a washing machine hose leak from the hose going to the wall where the washing machine emptied the water into the drain. Everything looked fine until I looked closer. The hose was about five years old and it looked fine until I saw a fine water line below the drain hose. The water was backing up and over flowing the drain. I was fortunate by catching this early or I could have had a serious toxic mold problem in the wall from this small leak. Checking your washing machine drain hose is important because of this factor. In our Environmental Inspections, you would not believe how many water leaks we have been on in the last 15 years caused by the same type of drain hose. Cost to replace $14.00 in Home Depot.

The five most common sources of water leaks in homes are the following:

1. Kitchen Faucets
2. Washing Machine Hoses
3. Water Heaters
4. Shower Leaks Due to The Grout.
5. Bathroom Toilets

The good news about these items is they can be prevented by simple maintenance. If we as homeowners or renters use a little common sense, we can develop a Maintenance Schedule to check them out on a regular basis. The easiest way is to check these them once a month. When you finish reading this article, go an check them all out, It is easy to prevent problems but a flood or toxic mold can wreck havoc in your life and the costs can be expensive. The inconvenience is a thing to think about also.

The good news is there are new types of hoses available that are a braided metal which are tougher than the original equipment that was installed with the toilets, sinks and washing machines. The manufacturer of the braided metal says the hoses cannot burst and cause a flood which is a real relief for people concerned with toxic mold. These hoses should be replace every five years as a precaution to prevent toxic mold from a flood.

In conclusion, checking your water hoses on the Kitchen faucets, washing machines, shower leak and bathroom toilets once a month can prevent a flood or microbial growth. While you are at it, check the Hot Water Heater too. There are water alarms you can put below them when water is leaking at the first sign. I would highly recommend getting one for each location in your home. The grout in your shower can be checked while you are taking a shower. Just look for cracks in the grout. Home Maintenance is easy if you are concerned about microbial growth in your home. The important thing to remember is, No Moisture No Mold.

If you have any questions, feel free to call us or visit our website.

To learn more about your home, visit our website at Safe Homes or Air Testing