The rain this weekend caused some people to realize that their roofs weren't as waterproof as they had previously thought. Water leaks may have been part of what inspired this reader's question: "What are the most common causes for water damage? I've been reading about how expensive water damage is and I want to make sure my house is protected."
There's an almost unlimited number of sources for water damage. It can occur any time something in a house that uses or carries water, such as appliances or pipes, becomes damaged, worn out or malfunctions and it can happen when something that is designed to keep out or contain water, like a roof or a sink, gets a leak. And even that doesn't begin to cover everything. That said there are some fairly common sources of water damage and many of them are preventable through maintenance and just generally paying attention.
Although this is not a very comprehensive or complete list, the causes of water damage can usually be broken down into the following four groups;
Broken or damaged appliances - Examples of this would include a leaking ice maker line, broken dish washer, water heater failing or a burst washing machine hose;
Plumbing issues - Some of these would be leaking pipes, overflowing toilets, sewer back-up or an overflowing bath tub;
Weather issues - Flooding due to heavy rain and freezing pipes would be some good examples of this;
Maintenance problems or un-repaired damage - This could be a leaking roof, a broken sprinkler system or perhaps a damaged swamp cooler.
While not entirely preventable, vigilance will help to reduce the risk of any of these things from becoming a big problem and it is much easier to prevent the problems before they occur whenever possible. Make sure to know who to call the event that water damage occurs, a quick response will minimize the extent of the water damage.
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