New Year’s Resolutions for Your Home
When people think about New Year’s resolutions for their home, the usual advice comes up: test smoke alarms, clean the gutters, change HVAC filters. All important, but also widely known.
What often gets overlooked are the quieter, less obvious maintenance habits that can make the difference between a minor inconvenience and a full-scale restoration emergency. As an emergency restoration company, these are the issues we see turn into major damages – simply because no one thought to address them ahead of time.
Learn Where Water Shouldn’t Be
Most homeowners know where their water comes from, but not where it doesn’t belong. Make it a resolution to walk your home during or after heavy rain to check:
- Basement walls and floor joints
- Window wells
- Around sump pumps and foundation penetrations
Water damage rarely starts with standing water. It often begins as slow, intermittent moisture intrusion that goes unnoticed for months. Inspect these areas during heavy rain, snow melt, or after freeze-thaw cycles. Look for dampness, staining, peeling paint, or musty odors. Early moisture detection is one of the most effective forms of water damage prevention and can significantly reduce the risk of mold growth behind walls or beneath flooring.
Even slow, occasional moisture can lead to long-term water damage and mold issues that often go unnoticed until cleanup becomes extensive.
Replace “Still Working” Hoses & Supply Lines
Appliance hoses don’t fail when they stop working; they fail suddenly. Washing machine hoses, dishwasher lines, and refrigerator water connections should be replaced every 5-7 years, even if they look fine. This is one of the most common causes of unexpected flooding and emergency restoration calls.
Look Behind and Under Large Appliances
Leaks often start in places homeowners rarely see. Water can slowly escape from appliance connections and spread beneath flooring, cabinets, and walls long before visible damage appears.
Similarly to our second point, be sure to look behind and under large appliances. Out of sight is often out of mind, but that doesn’t mean everything is in working order. Periodically check behind:
- Refrigerators
- Washing machines
- Water heaters
Small leaks often go unnoticed until they’ve caused significant flooring or subfloor water damage. The goal is to avoid leaks from happening by staying ahead.
Clean What No One Sees
Exhaust and vent lines such as dryer vents, bathroom exhaust fans, and kitchen hood ducts are rarely cleaned. When was the last time you checked on these areas? Routine cleaning helps prevent both fire damage and mold-encouraging conditions. At the same time, blocked vents trap humidity inside the home, contributing to condensation and poor indoor air quality.
Lint buildup and blocked vents increase fire risk, trap moisture, and reduce air circulation.
Test Sump Pumps Before You Actually Need Them
A sump pump is only effective if it works when needed. Many homeowners don’t realize their pump has failed until water is already entering their home. Sump pump failures are a leading cause of basement flooding and emergency water damage calls, particularly during heavy rain or power outages.
Be proactive and ensure you:
- Test it before heavy rain seasons
- Confirm the discharge line is clear
- Consider a battery backup system
Stay on Top of Your Home Insurance Policy
Even with proactive maintenance, accidents happen. Reviewing your homeowners insurance policy each year ensures you have adequate coverage for water damage, fire damage, and mold remediation.
Check for coverage limits, exclusions, and deductibles, and make note of any home improvements that may affect your policy. Understanding your policy helps you avoid surprises when filing a claim and ensures you can recover quickly if an emergency restoration is needed.
Prevention Is the Best Restoration
Most major home emergencies don’t start as emergencies; they start as small, unnoticed issues. Making these often-skipped maintenance resolutions can dramatically reduce the risk of water damage, mold remediation, and fire restoration needs throughout the year.
And if the unexpected does happen, having a trusted emergency restoration company, like DAI Restore, ready to respond can make all the difference. We’re available 24/7, call us anytime!
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