Here are five easy steps Red Oak homeowners can take to help prevent leaking and flooding around the house:

1.) Keep a Close Eye on Your Appliances

Did you know there are five household appliances most responsible for causing floods? It’s true! A lot of water damage can be attributed to the appliances you might suspect – including your water heater, toilets, and washing machine – as well as a few surprising sources, like the dishwasher or refrigerator.

Keep an eye on these appliances and know how to take care of them properly, including quickly and decisively responding to a backed-up, overflowing toilet or troubleshooting your water heater.

And keep in mind…

2.) Regularly Have Your System Maintained

For every notable plumbing symptom, like a suspicious noise or odor, there are plenty of signs that are incredibly easy to overlook or miss completely – until it’s too late. With that in mind, it’s important to regularly call in a certified plumbing professional to oversee your entire system to spot small problems before they can grow into disasters. At the very least, it’s important to call in a plumber to inspect your pipes and flush your water heater at least twice per year.

3.) Improve Your Home’s Foundation

In addition to tuning up and servicing your plumbing, there are all sorts of little things you can do around the house to make your home safe from water damage. For ideas, we encourage you to check out this great piece at Realtor.com. Among their suggestions: Take care of “sticky” windows and doors, seal and repair any cracks in your foundation or walls, and be sure to regularly clean and maintain your gutters before they can overflow.

4.) Take Care When You Leave Your House

An unattended system can also lead to unexpected water damage. When you leave home for long periods of time, take some precautionary steps to keep your home safe: Turn off your main water valve and supply valves, inspect your supply lines, and test your systems, including your sump pump.

And while we’re on that subject…

5.) Update Your System

Updating your plumbing system with new technology can help keep your home – particularly your basement – safe and dry. Check out your sump pump to make sure that it’s up to date, and keep your home safe from periods of intense rain or sewage backup with an ejector pump, overhead sewer, or backwater valve.

Have any more questions about your plumbing system? Looking for a professional to inspect your system or provide you with a realistic, fair estimate for upgrades? Combat Plumbing is here and ready to help! Drop us a line, day or night, to get started.