What You Should Do When You Notice a Water Leak
There is nothing worse than coming home to discover your home has been damaged by water, and ignoring water damage can be costly. Knowing what to do first can be difficult, though. If you do have a water leak, you need to act fast, as water damage can spread quickly.
The first thing you should do is shut off the main water line to your home. If you do not know where that is, locate it now, before there is an issue. Trace backward from your water heater, as the shut off valve will usually be somewhere between the water heater and the street water line. If your home has a basement, it will typically be in the basement; if not, it may be in the crawl space. Some homes are built with a main shut off on the outside of the home near the water meter.
Once you have shut off the water, minimize the damage using a shop vacuum or by using towels to soak up standing water. But be sure to call a restoration service first, as there is usually more than surface water to deal with, especially if the leak resulted from a burst pipe.
And don’t wait too long to contact your insurance company. Some policies cover leaks, but most require an additional rider to cover floods from natural disasters. Now is the time to determine your coverage – before you have an issue.
If you have any questions about how to handle water damage, contact us now. We are happy to answer your questions and provide an estimate about the cost of restoring your home.