While the holiday season is all about family, food, and fun…it can also result in some seriously inconvenient home damage. Yes, while you have your aunt and your second cousins from Chicago staying with you, this often means you’re putting added pressure on your home appliances by upping the usage of your washing machines, dryer, and toilets. Unfortunately, this additional usage can lead to water damage and other inconvenient emergencies in the midst of your turkey baking.

Leaking appliances, burst pipes, and overflowing sewage systems are some of the most prevalent problems we see over the holiday season. So, to help you out, we’ve put together a few of the most common water damage culprits, as well as some useful tips to help avoid any issues this upcoming festive season:

1. Be Appliance Savvy When guests stay at your home, they might insist on helping out by packing the dishwasher, or they may simply need to do a couple of loads of laundry. By someone selecting the most intense washing cycle or hottest setting could cause your appliances to short circuit or malfunction, causing leaks and even a flood. Be sure to let your guests know how to operate all your appliances.
2. Upgrade Washing Machine Hoses Before your guests descend, it might be a good idea to replace old or leaky washing machine hoses with new ones. Dodgy old washing machine hoses are among the most frequent causes of water loss for homeowners, so it’s a good idea to stay on top of this. Oh, and set reminders on your phone a few times a year to check these. Be sure to replace yours regularly (particularly before your house guests arrive) to avoid a big mess and extensive water damage repairs.
3. Install Water Detection Devices What better time to install a water detector? This is a small electronic device that sounds an alarm when the sensor comes into contact with liquid. The best part? It detects low moisture levels or slow leaks that would otherwise go unnoticed. Install it near water heaters, sump pumps, washing machines, dishwashers, and toilets to prevent extensive damage and mold growth from happening while your abode is loaded with house guests.
4. Check Your Water Pressure If the water pressure to your home is set too high, pipes may fail when that pressure becomes too much. Simply purchase a water pressure gauge at your local hardware store, attach it to an outside faucet, and turn the faucet to full force. This will give you an accurate reading of your property’s water pressure. Typically, residential water systems are designed for water pressure that’s between 40 – 70 psi. If your home’s water pressure exceeds 100psi, you can install a pressure regulator which is also available at hardware stores. Best to do this before your guests arrive and line up to use your shower.
5. Follow Plumbing Protocols With more people using your shower and flushing the toilet, your home’s plumbing system may start to take a bit of a strain. Overuse can sometimes lead to clogged drains and the dreaded backing up of toilets. Nobody wants a house full of sewage water, especially with guests around! These types of issues can cause messy (and sometimes unsanitary) flooding that may lead to serious water damage. And, we don’t have to tell you that, unless properly cleaned, sewage water can lead to a host of health problems. If you have a finicky toilet let your guests know, and maybe ask guests to take quick showers to help lessen the load.

We Here To Help

So there you go, a few tips to help steer your home away from any potential water damage. However, if you do run into problems know that Restoration 1 is available 24/7 to assist. That means on Thanksgiving and Christmas eve too. No matter the time of year, we endeavor to be at your home within an hour or less. We’ll take care of the problem so that you can spend time with your loved ones.

Save your nearest Restoration 1’s number on your phone and, if you need us, we’ll be on standby to help you out during the holidays. To find our list of country-wide locations, click here.