Water damage is a serious problem in your home and, if left alone, can lead to mold and structural damage. If you have a leaking pipe or experienced a flood, it is important to clean the mess up quickly. Protecting your home from water damage is easy with the following six tips.

Watch the Water Bill

Although it may sound odd, keeping an eye on your water bill is one way to quickly identify and prevent water damage. If your water bill is rising each month or you notice you are using a large number of gallons a month, you may have a leak somewhere. This is especially true if no one in your household has increased their water usage.

Check Your Appliances

Your appliances can leak from time to time. To prevent water damage to your walls and floors, you should check each appliance often to ensure the hoses and drip pans are working properly.

Have Your Sump Pump Tested

If you have a sump pump in your basement, it is important to have it tested often to ensure it is working properly. During a storm or flood, your sump pump removes water from your basement and carries it away from the home. If the pump is not working, your basement will quickly flood and leftover water can cause water damage and mold.

Replace Old Piping

Your pipes wear down over time and the older they become, the more likely they are to rupture or leak. A slow leaking pipe can cause large amounts of water damage over time. Since the leak is slow, you may not realize there is a problem until staining or mold present themselves.

A fast leak or burst pipe can flood your home in a matter of minutes. If a pipe does leak or burst, you should access the main water valve and turn the water off to prevent further damage.

Remove Standing Water

If you experience a backup or notice standing water on or around your home, you want to remove it quickly. Water can pool in many places including in your garage, on your roof, and in your gutters.

Dry All Wet Carpets and Flooring

If you do have a leak in your home or flooding occurs, you need to dry all of the wet areas as quickly as possible. Allowing wet carpets and carpet padding to sit will cause mold to form underneath. Mold is hazardous to you and your family.

Water damage is common in homes, and the above six tips can help you keep an eye out for common leaks and problems. If the area of water damage is too large to handle, you should call a water damage specialist such as Servpro Of Framingham.