If you have ever experienced a flood in your home or office caused by a plumbing problem you know how inconvenient and costly it can be. There are several measures you can take to decrease the chances of damaging plumbing leaks in your building.
Problems that occur when a building is unoccupied or when the occupants are asleep will sometimes go in undetected for periods of time. These end up doing more damage than those that are seen immediately and dealt with quickly. Below is a list of some of the things that you can do to lessen the chances of damage. Many are relatively inexpensive while others are substantially more expensive.
• Make sure the supply lines to all fixtures such as toilets faucets
washing machines and dishwashers are braided stainless steel of high
quality. Some braided steel supply lines also have pressure sensors that
will shut the supply of water off if a pressure drop is detected. This
type is typically more expensive than supply lines without these devices.
• Make sure that the shutoffs to all fixtures are corrosion free in good
shape and can be operated easily. If you can’t turn the water off when
you
have a leak you could have a major problem.
• Shut your water main supply off anytime you will be away from your home
for extended periods of time.
• Install automatic whole house water shut off valves or an automatic shut
off valve on just your water heater. Whole house water shut off valves
are generally more expensive than those used on a water heater.
• Automatic water shut off valves are relatively expensive and are divided
into two groups:
- flow based (pressure based) devices monitor water flow in the pipes
allowing water to flow continuously for a set volume or length of
time and then will engage the shut off valve. - Sensor based devices are used with water or temperature sensors the
sensors are placed in high risk locations such as near artwork or
appliances that use water such as toilets laboratories washing
machines water heaters etc. Sensors signal the valves to close when
they get wet or fall below a critical temperature in areas subject
to freezing temperatures. - Combination devices or multiple devices can be used for maximum
protection
Some insurance companies are recognizing the value of prevention devices and may offer an incentive to install prevention devices check with your agent to determine whether your provider offers any incentives.
Total comfort plumbing can provide an install a number of these products. Give us a call to determine what may be right for you and your properties.
In addition to plumbing leaks there are other conditions in and around your building that can increase the risk of water damage. We will discuss some of these conditions in future blogs.
