West Palm Beach is famously known for one water sport—scuba diving. From engaging in a night dive under the Blue Herron Bridge to doing some world-class drift diving in the ocean, West Palm Beach is a scuba diver’s paradise. But the last thing you want is for your home to turn into a dive site! From extreme weather such as pounding hurricanes, to pipe bursts and a number of other water-based disasters, your home can easily become another statistical victim for local water damage emergencies. By learning more about how water damage occurs, you can help prevent any looming disasters from striking your home that would otherwise require you to call a local water damage company to perform emergency water cleanup services and restore your home to its previous condition.

How Can I Protect my Home from Water Damage in a Hurricane?

Hurricanes and water damage go together like peanut butter and jelly—where there is one there is often the other. West Palm Beach residents take on so much hurricane damage that, according to the Sun Sentinel’, a multi-million dollar plan to add wind turbines to the area to help combat hurricanes has been tossed around. You may not be able to shake your first at the sea and demand that it stop spitting up hurricanes, but there are a number of steps you can take to help protect your home. Start by sandbagging your home the day before the hurricane is predicted to strike. Sandbags act as a barrier against floodwater often preventing it from flooding your basement, soaking into your home’s foundation or flowing under your door. As hurricanes are accompanied by strong winds it is recommended to board up your windows to prevent flying debris from smashing the glass and spraying it throughout the rooms. This will also prevent water from blowing in.

How can I Prevent an Internal Home Flood?

Not all household floods result from bad weather. In many cases plumbing problems and appliances that have malfunctioned can lead to major water damage emergencies. For example, if your home is old and the plumbing hasn’t been updated there is a chance you might have the wrong types of fixtures or the wrong materials. This can eventually lead to pipes bursting and spraying water everywhere. Calling a professional to inspect your plumbing would be well worth it. Another cause of pipe bursts can be linked to the type of water you have. Hard water can lead to mineral deposit buildup, which creates pressure in your pipes. When the pipes expand they can crack causing a slow leak that creates gradual damage, or a full-blown pipe burst that spews water everywhere. You can pick up an inexpensive water testing kit at any hardware store. If you have hard water be sure to add a softener.

What Should I do When my home Floods?

The first thing to do is make sure all family members are safe. Unplug all electrical devices in the area to avoid the risk of shock or flying sparks. Then call a local water damage company with a reputation to respond quickly and that offers a free inspection with an estimate. Your home is likely your biggest financial investment. By understanding more about water damage you can help protect your sacred investment from the wrath of water damage and its many vehicles.