If you’re a homeowner, nothing can prepare you for the stress and emotional turmoil when you come home to a flood. Perhaps you return to your winter retreat to find a musty odor along with mold on your walls and baseboards. In many cases, inexpensive maintenance and repairs can prevent costly and stressful water damage and mold remediation repairs and restoration.
Here are 5 important tips for preventing water damage:
- CAREFULLY PLAN BEFORE YOU PLANT Plants and trees with invasive roots can grow right into your sprinkler and plumbing system. t is important to know the root structure of mature plants that can invade these structures and cause major problems. In preparation for planting, determine the location of drainage fields, pipes and septic tanks. Plan your landscaping to keep roots away from any water lines.
- KEEP ROOF GUTTERS CLEAN Clogged gutters can be a major reason for water leaks into your home’s foundation, roof or basement if you live up North. Your gutters should be free of leaves, birds’ nests, sticks, and other debris that restricts the flow of water during rainy weather or a major storm. Seasonal cleaning for your gutters can go a long way toward preventing a flood or insidious leak that results in damage to building structures, furnishings and personal property.
- MONITOR YOUR WATER BILL If you’re suddenly presented with a larger than usual water bill without a reasonable cause – like a toilet running or recently filling a swimming pool, consider that you may have a plumbing leak. With so many water pipes hidden behind walls and in the floors in your house, you might not know there’s a leak until the damage is done. A reputable plumber will be able to locate the source of a leaking pipe behind building structures and flooring.
- USE A DRAIN SNAKE INSTEAD OF UNCLOGGING CHEMICALS Should you experience a clogged drain in your kitchen or bathroom sinks, here’s what you need to know about caustic chemicals. Although they may be convenient, they are abrasive to your pipes and a common cause of leaking pipes.  Instead, use a drain snake to clear clogs. These are easy to use and can cut through almost any clog without damaging your pipes. They will also not contaminate your air with caustic fumes that harm your health.  Drain snakes are inexpensive and available at your local hardware store. In the event that the clog cannot be cleared with a drain snake, calling a reputable plumber is your next best step to take.
- NEVER POUR GREASE DOWN YOUR SINK Always avoid pouring grease down your kitchen sink. Grease will congeal and cling to your pipes leading to serious damage and blockages. Using detergent to break up grease before pouring it down the drain may help but there’s no guarantee that it’ll keep the grease from sticking to your pipes. Instead, pour grease into a container where it can be discarded in the trash after it cools and becomes sold.
 When Water Damage and Mold Happens…
Don’t trust water damage cleanup or mold remediation to just any company.
Armstrong Water Mold Cleanup and Restorations is a fully licensed, IICRC certified and insured general contractor in Florida. For more than three decades, our experience, training, and values for integrity, quality, and dependable services have made us a trusted water, mold, fire damage and restoration company.
Unlike some of our competitors, we follow IICRC standards to assure safe and appropriate practices. This means that customers are not overcharged for unnecessary and costly demolition and restoration of their property. We are one of a few trusted residential contractors for water damage, mold remediation and restoration services by leading homeowner insurance companies.
We respond 24/7 within a 2-hour response time to water damage and mold service calls within Southwest Florida. The inspection and estimate are free. We stand behind all of our work with an unconditional guarantee for quality, workmanship and dependable service. If you are looking for one-stop total peace of mind service, call us.
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