Help Prevent Damage by Making Sure the Home's Plumbing Is Prepared
One of the drawbacks of living in a near-tropical utopia is that, from time to time, large storms threaten the area. In extreme cases, storms are upgraded to hurricanes that can cause complete devastation along large swaths of the coast. When hurricanes threaten an area, prudence recommends evacuating the homes to prevent fatalities. However, while the areas are evacuated, everyone worries about what they will return to after the storm.
Dealing with an imminent hurricane is stressful enough. Leaving home and hoping everything will be okay later can be too much. To ease some of the stress of the unknown, homeowners should take time to learn how to prepare for a direct hit from a tropical storm or hurricane. Here are a few tips from local plumbers to help homeowners weather the storm.
Turn Off the Water Heater
Whether the home is occupied during the storm or has been evacuated, it is always recommended that the water heater be turned off. This can be done by switching the breaker or pulling the cutoff block near the water heater. The main reason this is recommended first is that it can prevent damage to the water heater when water is shut off to the home or the home loses water service due to the storm.
Some of the other benefits of turning off the water heater include:
- It reserves electrical and gas utilities for where they are most needed during the regional emergency
- It prevents contaminated water from making its way into the water heater and potentially inoculating the water heater with pathogens
- Limits the damage that can occur from burst pipes or ruptured water heaters
- Eliminates the concern about burns if the home is occupied and the storm causes damage to the water heater
Turn Off the Main Water Shut Off Valve
Clean water is a major concern in the aftermath of a storm. Even in developed nations, drinking water can become contaminated so that disease outbreaks can occur. One of the steps that everyone can take to limit this risk is to shut off the water in their home at the shut-off valve.
During major storms, trees can uproot large municipal water lines. The loss in pressure in the water grid can create a condition called backflow that can pull contaminated water into a home's water piping. By isolating the home from the larger system, the home is protected from contaminated drinking water and can more easily resume normal activities once the storm has passed.
Clear Outdoor Drains
One of the often-overlooked storm-proofing steps homeowners can take is to keep drains clear. Landscape drains around the home are designed to quickly shunt away floodwater, even in the event of major storms. When they are clogged with debris, rainwater, and storm surges cannot easily flow away to municipal drains or waterways. By keeping these drains clean, homeowners protect municipal drains and waterways from clogging, and they allow their plots of land to effectively drain so that normal life can resume more quickly.
About Cleary Plumbing & Air
Cleary Plumbing & Air has been helping locals prepare and revolver from storms for over 25 years. Their technicians offer full plumbing services, including drain cleaning and plumbing maintenance. Call today for plumbing service in West Palm Beach, FL.
