Water damage comes in many forms such as burst pipes, leaky roofs, or faulty appliances, but can be costly to repair. Until it happens to you, it may stay low on the priority list of things to attend to. However, that line of thinking may lead to you losing out on tons of money.
Water Damage Cleanup – Mansfield, Ohio
According to water damage statistics, water damage affects around 14,000 people in the U.S. alone every day. Knowing that you could potentially lose out a large amount of money due to water damage fixes, it is best to take preventative measures to avoid water damage. The following are useful tips to help you keep an eye out for potential water damage and how to prevent further damage.
Conduct Inspections Often
It is vital that everything in the property is inspected thoroughly to make sure that everything is running smoothly before any tenant moves in. Plumbing and appliances can cause some of the worst damage in the place so make sure to check these. No matter the length of the lease, anything connected to water should be inspected before and after tenants move.
Skipping this step could be detrimental to how much your rental will make or break you. Even issues that seem minuscule, like a leaky water line, can easily turn into a huge problem that is extremely costly. As these problems are left to accumulate, water damage can churn up issues such as mold and wood rot.
Leaky Roof
Leaky roofs are one of the most common causes of water damage every year, especially in rental properties. It is an easy step to miss and can lead to some of the biggest problems. Roofs will begin to leak once their life expectancy (15-20 years) has been reached or it has been damaged by weather or falling debris.
To inspect it, it is recommended to hire professionals to come out and look for any possible damage. As someone that is not seasoned in looking for roof damage, you may overlook small holes or cracks that could lead to leaking.
Gutter Care
Gutters are a huge preventative component outside of houses as they are made to steer rainwater off the roof and away from the property. This measure cannot be used, however, if the gutters are clogged with debris. You will need to clean them out often, at least twice a year depending on the amount of wind and foliage around your property. Make sure that before a storm hits that the gutters are completely free of blockage. Additionally, it is important that the downspouts are faced in the right direction, steering the water away from the home. The gutter’s efforts are fruitless if the downspouts are not also doing the job they were designed for.
Landlord & Tenant Communication
In any kind of relationship, communication is key to a successful relationship. Particularly in this situation, it is hard to know what is happening in your properties if tenants do not communicate with you when there is a problem. Similarly, tenants will not want to communicate it with you if not handled properly and efficiently. Asking tenants to notify you when there is even a minor issue, then getting back to them quickly will ensure that small problems are not gone unnoticed.
By following the above tips, you will be able to minimize the risk of water damage to the best of your ability. However, with that being said, sometimes there are things that will come out of nowhere and cause water damage still. If that does happen, there is professional help that can remedy the water damage issue. If you need assistance with water damage cleanup, professionals at Shambaugh Cleaning are available to help you at any time to bring your property back to its original state.