The holidays are upon us!
For many of us it’s a time for rest and relaxation and vacations away from home with friends and family.
Statistics gathered from the US Travel Bureau tell us that Thanksgiving and the Christmas/New Year’s holiday periods are among the busiest long-distance travel periods of the year – so much so that during the Thanksgiving travel period, the number of long-distance trips (to and from a destination 50 miles or more away) increases by 54 percent! And travel during the Christmas and New Year’s Holiday period the number rises by 23 percent, compared to the average for the rest of the year.
But for some unlucky homeowners and business owners, getting back to reality after the holiday vacation includes coming home to a basement flooded with water from a broken supply line or over the ground flooding. And, because the water has been allowed to dwell – sometimes for days or weeks – the first indication that there’s a problem is an awful smell greeting them at the front door when they return home.
So, here’s a list of 5 helpful tips to help you savor all that rest and relaxation you bring home with you from your vacation by avoiding costly water damage when you’re away:
- Prevent vacation water damage when you’re away! Shut off the water at the main before you go
If you’re not sure where it is, look for your water meter; the main shutoff will be located nearby. (It’s a good idea for everyone in your home to know where the main water shutoff valve is so they can stop the water in case of an emergency.)
- Old or corroded valves on water mains need to be treated with care
An old valve can break, so be gentle when you’re performing this test. If the valve is stuck, leave it alone. If it leaks or doesn’t shut off all the way, have a licensed plumber replace the valve. (You’ll need to call your water department to have the water to your house turned off at the curb while you have the repairs made.)
- Valve stops for bathroom sinks can be closed to prevent leaks
4. If you have a well, shut off the electrical switch for the well before you leave so it won’t pump any water while you’re gone. But don’t shut off the electric to the whole building! If a leak should occur, or a storm floods your basement with water, your sump pump needs the electricity to do it’s job!
- Clear gutters of debris to keep water outside your home while you’re away
A 1,000-sq.-ft. roof can cast off about 620 gallons of water during a 1-inch rain storm. That’s about 103 gallons per downspout if you have six of them. And, you really don’t want all those 620 gallons of water in your basement to greet you when you return! So, a quick check to make sure the gutters are clean and the downspouts are draining away from the foundation are key to prevent basement flooding while you’re away.
- For these unfortunate homeowners in Cherry Hill, NJ water filled their basement when they were away
But if the worst should happen and you need help cleaning up water damage in a flooded basement, PuroClean Emergency Recovery Services is here for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to get your home clean, dry and sanitized before mold can grow Call 877-750-7876
[…] And, because we believe the best way to solve a problem with water damage is to prevent it from happening, here are some helpful tips you can use to avoid water damage to your home while you’re away: 5 Tips to avoid vacation water damage […]