Water and Fire: The Two Home Disasters You Can Prevent
After more than 20 years of remodeling and restoration work in the San Gabriel Valley, and the Eaton Fire, I’ve seen what water and fire do to a home. Fall is the time to get ahead of both: the rains are a couple of months away, and the dry, windy season is here.
What to know
- Water damage is common. About 1 in 60 insured homes files a water damage or freezing claim every year. Most of it starts small and out of sight: an old pipe, a washing machine hose, a slow leak at the toilet.
- The kitchen is where fires start. Cooking causes nearly half of all home fires, and unattended cooking is the leading factor.
- Both give warnings first. The trick is knowing what to look for.
Red flags I see every week
- Stains or discoloration on ceilings and walls; peeling or bubbling paint
- A musty smell, or mold in corners and under sinks
- Soft spots in the floor near a toilet or tub
- Your water meter still moving with every faucet off
- Breakers that keep tripping, or lights that flicker
- An outlet that feels warm, or a burning, rubbery smell from a plug-in appliance
Your six-step plan for this month
- Walk your home. Check under every sink, around toilets, and behind the fridge and washer for moisture.
- Test every alarm. Smoke and carbon monoxide, every one. Replace the whole unit every 10 years.
- Find and label your shutoffs: the main water valve and the electrical panel.
- Clean out the garage. Move gasoline, paint and oily rags out; check extension cords; clear space around the panel.
- Book inspections. Plumbing, electrical and heating, especially in a home over 20 years old.
- Review your insurance. Make sure water damage and fire are covered, with no gaps.
Small fixes that go a long way
Swap rubber washer hoses for braided stainless steel. Put a water leak sensor by the water heater and under the sinks; they’re very affordable now. Clean the gutters twice a year, and make sure the ground slopes away from your foundation. In the kitchen, keep anything that burns 3 feet from the stove, keep an extinguisher close, and make sure everyone at home knows how to use it. Never put water on a grease fire.
Not sure what you’re looking at? A stain, a soft spot, a warm outlet: send us a photo, or have us walk the house with you.
Text us a photoA little prevention today saves a fortune tomorrow.
Sources: Insurance Information Institute (water damage claims); National Fire Protection Association (home cooking fires).