One of the frequent inquiries we get is whether or not it’s a good idea to put a water heater or other appliance on the top floor of a home. If you are purchasing a home that has already been built, you probably will not get to choose the placement of appliances. However, if you are buying a new home, or renovating a current home, the placement of the water heater and other appliances – like the washing machine, dishwasher or even the HVAC system, may be an option you are likely to consider. Wherever the appliances in your home are located, there are recommendations we’d like to pass along that may help prevent water damage.
Recommendations from Restoration 1 of West Denver are three-fold.
- You should regularly check the valves of fixtures and appliances. In fact, ask a professional to check these for you. They are generally more aware of problems when examining valves. This is particularly important before leaving your property for an extended period of time. It is not unusual for us to see clients who go out of town for either a couple of days or weeks and come back to a flooded home. While you may be busy before vacation, it’s absolutely true that preventative maintenance would solve many of these problems before they strike.
- Additionally, if you do need to leave the property for a few days or longer, have a friend come by and check on things to make sure everything is fine. With access to the interior of your home, your friend will be able to turn the water off in the event of a water-loss, preventing further damage.
- The last recommendation is to have professionals check the drains to your dishwasher and washing machine to make sure they are functioning as they should. Water damage often results from breaks or cracks to these drain lines, which can cause quite a bit of damage to flooring and cabinetry. In this case, the damage can be almost unnoticeable until it causes severe problems. Discovering these problems early on and fixing the issue immediately can save both time and money – as well as a lot of inconvenience.
Have more questions? Give us a call at 72O-605-2994 or visit our website for more information on Restoration1 of West Denver. We will be happy to answer any questions.