Water damage in your home can be a devastating event, and this problem often happens when people are on vacations away from their home. If you have ever suffered from water damage, you might want to take steps to prevent this from happening while you are on your next trip, and here are the best three things you can do to stop water damage from occurring while you are out of town.

Shut Off Water to Your House

There is a valve near your water pump that controls the water entering in your home. This valve is always turned on, simply because it has to be if you want water in your home. If you leave this valve on while you are gone, there is a chance you could encounter water damage. This could happen if a pipe springs a hole in it or if a faucet breaks.

Before you leave on your trip, shut the main water valve off. This may not stop all water from entering your home while you are gone, but it will stop water from getting inside your house through your plumbing pipes. When you return home, you will need to turn the valve back on to get your water working again.

Test Your Sump Pump

A second thing you may want to do is check your sump pump, and this is important whether you have a basement or a crawlspace. The sump pump in your home is a device that kicks on when the water table level in the ground gets too high. Each time it kicks on, it pumps the water in the area and forces it away from your home.

If it rains a lot while you are on vacation, you could experience water damage if your sump pump does not kick on. Before you leave on your trip, check to make sure your sump pump is plugged in and working. This will protect your home if there is a lot of rain.

Clean and Examine Your Gutter System

The other good step to take is cleaning and examining your gutter system. Water often leaks into homes when gutters are faulty or full. If you can, hire a gutter company to clean your gutters out and make any necessary repairs so they are working properly before you leave on your vacation.

If you perform these three steps, there will be a lower chance your home will be affected by water damage. If you do discover water damage, you can call a company that offers water mitigation services to clean up the mess. 

For more tips, contact a water mitigation service, like First General Services.

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