Don't Let Leaking Pipes Cause Damage to Your Home

7/11/2021 (Permalink)

Call SERVPRO of Mandarin if a pipe in your home bursts and damages your home. We'll be there to help in a hurry!

No homeowner wants to deal with water damage from a leaking pipe. In addition to possibly flooding your home, a pipe leak can wreak havoc in a number of ways. Warped, stained walls, dangerous mold, and ruined carpet and furnishings are just a few of the consequences of an unattended leak. The best way to avoid all of that chaos is to prevent the leaks in the first place.

To properly avoid water damage from a leaking pipe, you must first understand the factors that come into play with pipe leaks.

• Pipe corrosion can eat away at metal pipes and cause leaks.
• Cracks indicate weakness in a pipe and will eventually cause the pipe walls to give way.
• The seals that keep your plumbing system’s connections from leaking can fail.
• Blockages in your pipes cause pressure to build up and cause leaks.
• Damaged joints can be caused by different things, like pipes expanding or contracting or poor workmanship.
• High water pressure can stress weak points in your plumbing system and cause a pipe burst or leaks.
• Foundation shifts can cause water lines to disconnect or rupture.
• Extreme temperature changes can cause pipes to crack and leak.
• Tree root intrusion happens when root systems put pressure on your pipes.
• Fixture cracks happen because of physical impact to a fixture or the surrounding pipes.

The water damage repair after a leak can be extensive. It’s important to know how to shut off the water in your house, so that if a problem occurs you can minimize the extent of the damage and reduce your water damage cleanup. To prevent leaks in the first place:

• Keep an eye on your pipes for signs of visible corrosion. Green spots on copper, for instance, indicates cold water pitting.
• Listen to your pipes. Rattling, shock, or vibration when you turn the water on or off can indicate an issue.
• Replace old piping. Start watching it at 20 years and replace it by about 40.
• Look for staining on sinks or taps. Blue or green stains can indicate high concentrations of carbon dioxide or a low pH, which can corrode pipes and fittings.
• Soften your water. Hard water can cause pitting, so treat it before it creates a problem.
• Watch the water pressure. If the pressure goes above 80psi/552kPa or a velocity of more than 4FPS a pipe burst can occur.
• Monitor your water usage. Watch the water meter and look to your water company for historical usage data. Unexplained water usage could mean a hidden leak.
• Consider smart systems. New smart technology allows you to monitor humidity in order to detect leaks.

Sometimes, despite your best efforts, your home will sustain water damage from a leaky pipe. If that happens to your Jacksonville area home, call SERVPRO of Mandarin for help with water damage restoration. Our highly-trained restoration technicians have the experience and equipment to restore your Northeast Florida home or business and get everything back to normal. A trusted leader in the water restoration industry, we have served our community for more than 40 years. Call

For people who live in hurricane-prone areas, news of a hurricane can seem mundane. Especially if you’ve never personally experienced hurricane damage, you may think they are overhyped. In truth, though, hurricanes do a great deal of damage each year.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), there were 28 weather disasters between 2019 and 2020 that each caused more than $1 billion of damage. In fact, a 2019 report from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projected the annual economic losses from hurricane winds and flooding to be about $54 billion, with $34 billion of that damage happening to homes. Hurricane damage in Florida is not something to ignore, because Florida is hit by more hurricanes than any other state: 121 hurricanes, 37 of them major, since 1851.

Why is hurricane damage so serious? Hurricanes are extremely intense storms, bringing high-velocity winds, waves, tornadoes, and floodwaters. They are ranked in terms of severity on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the most destructive. A Category 1 Hurricane has winds that range from 74 to 95 miles per hour and may cause only minor damage. By contrast, a Category 5 Hurricane can bring winds of up to 157 miles per hour, which can destroy the roof and walls of a house. A Category 5 Hurricane can also cause power outages and knock down trees. A hurricane does not have to be a Category 5 to cause major damage though, because damage from Categories 3 and 4 can be almost as extreme.

Flood damage is perhaps the most devastating aspect of a hurricane. Hurricanes cause flooding in different ways, as storm surge pushes seawater onto the shore and heavy rains drench even inland areas. Entire regions can end up flooded for days. When that region includes your home, water damage can be extensive. Because water weighs about 1,700 pounds per cubic yard, it can be brutal on structures not meant to take that kind of force.

Water can damage your home in several different ways. It can cause floor dampness. If you have lived in Florida for any length of time you know that dampness inside your home is not going to dry out on its own. In fact, if your floor is soaked in a hurricane, you may end up having to tear up flooring, baseboards, and even your drywall. If you sustain a roof leak, you could end up needing mold remediation. What’s more, water damage from rising floodwaters is often polluted and can be dangerous. You will need professional help removing that water from your house.

If your Northeast Florida home is damaged in a hurricane or tropical storm, call SERVPRO of Mandarin. Our highly-trained restoration technicians have the experience and equipment to restore your Northeast Florida home to its pre-storm condition. A trusted leader in the water restoration industry, we have served our community for more than 40 years. Call (904) 636-0044 or contact us through our website.

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