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Water Damage – 8 Ways to Avoid the Headache

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

One of the winter aggravations for landlords are burst plumbing pipes. What happens is during particularly cold weather water will freeze inside your pipes, it then expands and cracks the pipe. As the ice thaws into water, the pipe begins to leak frequently causing damages…insurance claims…complaining neighbors…headaches!

Fortunately, bursting can be easily prevented with just a few simple precautions. Since you are not living in the property, this should be a joint effort with your tenants.

1. Be proactive by having regular servicing of your plumbing and water system.

2. Check your plumbing joints to see if they are loose or worn from old age. The weaker they are the more likely they are to freeze or leak.

3. Check the condition of your existing insulation and insulate all incoming pipes as necessary.

4. Prevent cold air from creating ice in your pipes by keeping plugs in the bath and sink basin.

5. During an extreme cold spell, consider having the water run at a slow trickle to prevent pipes from freezing. If trying this, do so at night when it coldest.

6. Turn on the heat for just a few hours each day during extremely cold weather. Consider using an automatic thermostat when no one is in the property.

7. When your property is going to be empty for more than a few days, consider shutting off the main supply line in order to drain water to its lowest level. 

8. Be sure you and your tenants know where your internal and external stop taps are located so they can be quickly turned off should the pipes freeze and burst.

Water damage can also be harmful to your health. Dampness in the property causes mold and mildew which is unsafe to breathe. So the best thing you can do is be very diligent with prevention, and when and if becomes necessary for repair work, be sure to have it done by a qualified professional.