Protect your bathroom
Your bathroom is where most of your home's water gets used. The shower, tub, toilet, and sink get used on a daily basis. These open fixtures can let water from splashing escape. Some of them can "sweat" during the hot, humid Colchester CT summer days. Your local plumber has some tips to prevent water damage in your bathroom. By taking a little time to be proactive, you can save yourself a lot of money and aggravation down the road.
Prevent water damage
- Install a GOOD exhaust fan. Steamy showers are nice but the fog can seep into your drywall and create mold. Once mold begins to grow, it spreads quickly and your ceiling or walls may need to be replaced.
- Mop up extra water. A common plumbing problem we troubleshoot is a leak in the ceiling. The Colchester CT homeowner is afraid of a busted pipe. Usually, there is a bathroom right above the leak. Nine times out of ten, the leak is caused by water that escaped the shower curtain. Be sure to mop up any water that spilled out from a shower or bath tub.
- Check caulking. Notice a musty smell when you open your cabinet? A moldy smell when you walk in? Take a look at the caulking around your sink. Old, rotted caulking lets water escape and puddle. It damages your vanity. Take a look under the sink as well and look for any leaking water lines or shut off valves.
- Test your shut-off valves. It's a good idea to know where they are and test them regularly. Because they don't get used often, they can corrode and seize up. You want them working when you have a plumbing emergency! Additionally, you should shut off the water to your home entirely before you go on vacation to prevent any water damage.
- Build a relationship with a plumber. Some trouble spots are easier to spot than others. Things like a toilet can leak in places you can't see, like the subfloor. A shower valve could be leaking inside the wall. Schedule an annual home checkup with a local, professional plumber. You take yourself to the doctor, your car for a tune-up, the same should go for your home. When there's an emergency, you want someone you trust in your home, not a random person you found on Google.
