If you’re a Jersey Shore homeowner, there are likely a few things that keep you up at night. Your favorite deli out of hoagies? Rain on a beach day? Not to mention, traffic on the Parkway South on the Friday before Memorial Day Weekend? It really gives us the chills. What about the scary things that can happen within your home, though? Water damage is a huge contributor to unexpected costs, and can affect as many as 1 in 60 homes in the United States each year. How can you prevent water damage in your home?
#7: Proper Water Heater Maintenance
One of the greatest threats to your Jersey Shore home, both water damage-wise and beyond, is your water heater. While the average lifespan for a water heater is anywhere from 8-12 years, nothing is guaranteed. Depending on a number of conditions, including your town’s water pressure and quality,
will determine how long the unit continues running. Water heater bursts at the Jersey Shore are not uncommon, leaving an average of 50-75 gallons of
water spilling out into finished basements, laundry rooms, and living areas. Not to mention, without a proper fail safe, the water will continue to run. Schedule regular maintenance on your water heater to extend its lifespan and eliminate any uncertainties!
#6: Leak Detection Devices
The best thing Rostron Premium Home Services offers is peace of mind. Whether you’re a snowbird and away from home for long periods of time, or just looking for assurance that your home is protected, leak detection devices come in all shapes and sizes. Whole house options will usually affix to your water main, monitoring and shutting down the water to your home when an anomaly is detected. Other options include “pucks” that sit near your water heater and shut down specific pipes when they get wet, or even washing machine smart shutoffs. Most options will include WiFi capability, communicating with you via app on your phone.
#5: Test Your Sump Pump
This Jersey Shore Summer will likely be the same as any other: Full of unpredictable rainstorms! Don’t wait for the first big storm of the season to discover your sump pump isn’t working. Remove the lid and dump enough water into the basin to engage the float valve. Afterwards, travel outside to make sure the water is being pumped away from your home, free of any obstructions.
#4: Replace Plumbing Shutoffs/Supply Lines
As much as we wish fittings and shutoffs lasted forever, they don’t. Year after year, gallon after gallon, the shut offs under your kitchen or bathroom sink as well as the one at your water main will wear down. Not only can they cause leaks themselves, but you’ll want to make sure you will be able to shut off the
water in an emergency. Keep an eye on under-sink and washing machine supply lines as well. They should be replaced every so often to prevent water leakage in your Jersey Shore home.
#3: Do Your Research
Even the simplest of plumbing projects (replace a kitchen faucet, unclog a drain, run a water line to the fridge) opens up the opportunity for massive water damage. Ensuring you are using the right person for the job at hand is important. Properly trained plumbers are a must when it comes to doing the job right. For those times that issues are inevitable, you’ll be thanking yourself for hiring a company that stands behind its work.
#2: Routine Check Ins
The number of times you visit certain areas of your home likely depends on the floorplan. You may be on a first name basis with your water heater if it’s near your washer and dryer, but the water main may be a complete stranger to you, banished to the garage. Even the smallest leaks can cause damage over time. If there is no leak detection setup in your home, it will continue to drip or even spray water until you notice an issue. Keep your eyes and ears open and check on likely culprits of water damage in your home from time to time.
#1: AC/Heating Tune-Ups
With Summer on its way, your Jersey Shore home will likely be switching the thermostat from “heat” to “cool” if you haven’t already. When your air conditioning unit runs, it pulls moisture from your air and drains it either outside or into a nearby sink or sewer line. Similarly, if you have a high efficiency source of heat, it will do the same, paving the way for potential water damage if something fails.
Beyond that, ensuring proper functionality of your furnace in the winter time can prevent frozen pipes and pipe bursts, which is a surefire way to water damage in your home. Have a professional HVAC technician out to check up on your units, making sure they are working safely and efficiently.
Plan Ahead to Avoid Costly Repairs
Things are expensive enough without adding unexpected damages to your bills. Rostron Premium Home Services offers heating, cooling, plumbing, and electrical services to Monmouth and Ocean Counties, New Jersey. Give us a call to schedule today!
