When it comes to damages caused by water or fire in your home, the adage, “you don’t know what you have until it’s gone” describes the situation frighteningly often. It’s no secret that damages caused by water and fire can be extensive, expensive, dangerous, and can cause a domino effect of issues in the home. However, somehow that knowledge doesn’t prevent fires or water from occasionally wreaking havoc in the home. The saddest part? Most of these emergencies could be prevented by simple measures in prevention. Here are some of the most common causes of fire and water damage, respectively, in an effort to give you some ideas on how to prevent them in your own Santa Rosa home.
Common Causes Of Fire Damage:
- Combustibles in the kitchen, and unattended cooking. About half of all fires in the home start in the kitchen. To prevent these, never leave your food unattended while you’re cooking. Don’t keep flammables, combustibles, or clutter close to the stove or other open flames. Pay attention to your appliances and replace hoses and other parts when their recommended lifetime expires, or when you can tell they’re wearing out.
- Candles. Many household fires each year are caused by the negligent burning of a candle. Don’t burn candles when you are out of the room or out of the house altogether. Don’t put them next to curtains or other flammables.
- Smoking. Smoke outside several feet away from your house if you smoke, and be sure to extinguish your cigarettes fully.
- Kids playing with fire. Don’t let your children play with fire; this is very dangerous.
- Christmas tree fires. If you enjoy having a live tree, cut off the base of the stem so it will suck up water, and be sure it constantly has enough water to help with hydration. Turn off its lights before going to bed at night. Having a fake tree decreases risk of a fire started by your tree significantly.
Common Causes Of Water Damage:
- Pipes that burst in response to winter cold. You can have someone insulate your pipes, or do it yourself with insulating tape.
- Old appliances or hoses that should be replaced on washing machines and other water-using appliances. Don’t run the laundry machine or dishwasher when you’re out of the house, if you can help it, and replace hoses if they are brittle, discolored, or bulging.
- Buildup in areas prone to collecting water. Your rain gutters, if they are full of debris, can lead to pools of stagnant water and erosion, causing water damage. Watch for similar issues in crawl spaces, attics, or basements.
- High pressure in general in your plumbing and other pipes can increase everyday wear and tear on your pipes. You can buy a water pressure gauge at a local hardware store to monitor this.
Fire And Water Damage Restoration In Santa Rosa
Even though water and fire damage are serious problems and it’s sad that they happen so often even though they’re mostly preventable, the good news is that simple tweaks in your behavior can make your chances of water and fire damage significantly lower. Of course, if you do experience water or fire damage, there are people available to help you out. If you live in the Santa Rosa area, a call to Bravo Restoration and Construction ought to be your first priority. We will treat your emergency with all the urgency you would, but with a few extra years of experience, proper tools, and training.