The seepage of water from ceiling or walls is very troublesome. It is very harmful physically (it can cause fungal infection) as well as economically. Water drops fall from the ceilings and leaking water pipes inside the whole house and basement or sometimes all the walls get discolored and looks wet.
The best way is to take some precautions and to be well equipped to handle these problems. Here, are some tips to follow at the time of crisis.
1. The main cause of seepage is the cracks in ceiling or walls. Check if there’s any crack in the ceiling or around the outer walls, also check the open spaces around doors and windows and repair it properly.
2. Use paper towels and old rags to dry your floor. Always use rubber gloves while cleaning. If the water color is grey or black, don’t try to clean it yourself because there might be harmful contaminants in that water which can affect your health. Take the help of professionals.
3. If you feel that there’s chance of water seepage, keep your important documents and things at a safe place. Keep everything off the floor and use safe containers.
4. Check the joints carefully. To prevent water leakage from the pipe all joints and taps should be leak proof.
5. A regular check and good maintenance of overhead water tank, water pipes, walls and ceiling can prevent future damages.
6. Accidental flood in your house could be prevented by keeping the drains clean. All the hose connections inside the house should be tight enough. Also keep your gutters and downspouts clean.
7. If your house is flooded, immediately switch off the main switch, as water is a powerful conductor of electricity and it can give you electric shock. If you couldn’t turn off the electricity, stay out of the room and ask for professional help.
8. If you are going out for a long time or going on a holiday, turn the main water supply off before you go because any unchecked leak in water pipe can be very risky.
9. Doors, window frames, sills, and roofs should be made with waterproof materials. The structural integrity of the building should be checked and maintained regularly.
10. The worst can happen even if you take precautions. So make sure you have a home insurance which would pay you the required coverage if something unexpected happens.
Bottom-line:
The best way to keep your home safe from a fatal water damage is to act quickly and swiftly. If there’s a little crack on the outside wall please don’t ignore it, fix it as soon as possible. If your bathroom or kitchen tap leaks a bit, don’t ignore it and repair it. In case of water damage the main trouble is that it happens so fast that you get no time to stop it. So, maintain a regular checking of your house to prevent it from a fatal water damage.
