Preserving your investments

Whether you are a snow bird, go away for a couple of weeks during the holidays, or even if you are home all winter, colder weather can cause hidden problems which is why spring maintenance is so important to help prevent a water or fire damage in your home or business.

Putting off your spring maintenance or ignoring a small leak can end up costing you more than you can imagine.

 

• • Nationwide household leaks waste roughly 1 trillion gallons of water, that is enough to supply 11 million homes with water for 1 year.
• • A leaky faucet can waste 3,000 gallons per year ^**
• • A leak in an irrigation system can waste 6,300 gallons in a year^***
• • An average household leak can waste up to 10,000 gallons of water in a year.

Plumbing

The cold winter months can wreak havoc on your plumbing, especially if you have been gone or if your pipes were not properly maintained prior to winter setting in. As it warms up and you are ready to resume normal outdoor chores and activities it is pertinent to check your plumbing before connecting or running any inside or outside water source.

Inside

If you are returning from a long absence the first things to check for are leaks. Are all of your faucets sound^**? If you do find any leaks replace them immediately, be sure to also check the plumbing underneath your sinks as well. Next check your toilets – both bowl and tank – if they look good you can do one final test by putting some food coloring in the tank, if it appears in your bowl within an hour you may have some leaking going on inside the toilet. Call a plumber or replace the toilet. Additionally, check the water supply hoses to all of your appliances ensuring that no leaking, significant wear and tear, or bulging is present. Water supply hoses should be replaced about every 10 years or so, replacing them with stainless steel will ensure that they will last much longer. Finally check your washer and water heater for any defects or leaking and address if necessary.

Appliances are one of the number one reasons that we see water damages here at Northwest Professional Services. Being vigilant in your upkeep and maintenance will help to prevent an unforeseen damage in your home.

Outside

Your outdoor plumbing is just as important as your indoor and can cause damage to your home, landscaping, or even your bill. Check all of your outdoor plumbing and faucets for leaking, corrosion, or damage. 

Uncover your hose bib and check for leaks by holding your thumb under the spigot, when you turn the water on if there is a lot of pressure and it is hard to hold your thumb in place then you are probably fine, however, if you can hold your thumb in place and the water is slow you may have a leaking pipe. If this is the case it is best to get a professional to investigate and fix the leak. 

Check for underground leaks by looking for soggy spots in your yard which could be a sign of a burst pipe from the main water line or an irrigation system^***. Lastly check your water meter, all water meters have a leak indicator, when water is being used in your home it will spin, when no water is being used it should not move at all. 

HVAC, Dryer Vents, & Smoke Detectors

Spring is also great time to have your furnace serviced to make sure that it is still in good working order. 

Clean your air ducts if they have not been cleaned in the last 5 years to promote healthier air quality in your home or business, and make sure that all filters are changed. 

Your dryer vent should be cleaned every year in order to prevent a build up of lint. Of the almost 16,000 fires caused by washers and dryers, 92% of them are caused by dryers, which is why keeping it clean is so vital.Finally, check all of your smoke and CO2 detectors to ensure they are working, batteries should be replaced every 6 months and the actual units should be replaced every 7-10 years.

In the event of a water, smoke or fire damage we offer 24/7 emergency services, we can help mitigate, handle the dry out, and clean up of your home or business.