BY JONATHAN CHEEVER

A WATER LEAK CAN BE A HOMEOWNER’S HORROR, AND FOR GOOD REASON.

Saturated carpets rendered useless. Musty-smelling, allergy-triggering mold growing. Severe warping of wooden beams and flooring. Treasured mementos lost. Not to mention the cost to repair and restore the damaged home. According to a report by ISO/Verisk, the average insurance claim from water damage is nearly $8,900. I know the cost is expensive from working with some of my clients who have experienced water damage. And just recently, during a visit with my father, we discovered he had a flooded basement. Cleaning up and fixing a water leak is hard. But prevention can be easy. Here are seven tips for protecting your home from water damage:

MAINTAIN A MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE
When the seasons change, you should spring into action. Take an hour and check all exposed pipes in your basement for signs of leaks or wet spots on the basement floor. Crawl under each sink and toilet, and inspect the valves and pipes for the same symptoms. Tighten all connections. If you see evidence of trouble, call a plumber unless you are a skilled DIYer.

Tip: If the water supply lines – for your toilet or sinks – are plastic, replace them with braided stainless-steel lines. They are available at any home supply store, and there are YouTube videos aplenty to guide you through the simple installation process. Hot water can wear down plastic, but braided stainless-steel over rubber tubing can offer better protection against catastrophic failure.

LEARN WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW
Do you know where to find your main water valve, which can halt all water to your house in an instant? Make sure you know not only where it is, but how to quickly shut it off if a mini-Niagara Falls is cascading through your ceiling. Tip: The main water valve is typically located inside the house (most likely in a basement, if you have one) or outside, near where the water meter is found. It will be equipped with a wheel-shaped handle or a lever for easy shut-off.

EASE THE PRESSURE
If water pressure is too high, it can wreak havoc on a home’s water pipes. The maximum recommended pressure for homes is 80 pounds per square inch (psi), and a safe range is between 55 and 75 psi.

Tip: Test your water pressure using an inexpensive gauge from a home supply retailer. Attach it to your outside spigot and slowly turn on the water to that particular spigot while
making sure no other area of the home is using water at the time. If you get readings lower than the safe range above, you may have undetected leaks. Call a plumber right away to
investigate before a small drip swells to a big problem. If you get a reading higher than the range above, a plumber can help you reduce your pressure, or you can do it yourself with online video guidance.

BE PRUDENT
There are plenty of things you can do on a one-time or regular basis to avoid leaks. For instance, drain your water heater annually to flush sediment out of the system, and shut
off the water supply to your washing machine when you go on vacation.

Tip: Set your washing machine on a drip pan, which will collect water from leaks or overflows so you can spot a potential problem.

EASE THE PRESSURE
If water pressure is too high, it can wreak havoc on a home’s water pipes. The maximum recommended pressure for homes is 80 pounds per square inch (psi), and a safe
range is between 55 and 75 psi.

Tip: Test your water pressure using an inexpensive gauge from a home supply retailer. Attach it to your outside spigot and slowly turn on the water to that particular spigot while
making sure no other area of the home is using water at the time. If you get readings lower than the safe range above, you may have undetected leaks. Call a plumber right away to
investigate before a small drip swells to a big problem. If you get a reading higher than the range above, a plumber can help you reduce your pressure, or you can do it yourself with online video guidance.

BE PRUDENT
There are plenty of things you can do on a one-time or regular basis to avoid leaks. For instance, drain your water heater annually to flush sediment out of the system, and shut
off the water supply to your washing machine when you go on vacation.

Tip: Set your washing machine on a drip pan, which will collect water from leaks or overflows so you can spot a potential problem.

Jonathan Cheever has been a U.S. Snowboard Team member since 2005 and is an elite level athlete in snowboard cross. In the off-season, Cheever works for
his father’s plumbing company in Saugus, Mass., as a vocation to support his passion for snowboarding. He has been a licensed journeyman plumber since 2004.