Restoration Experts: New Technology Can Help Prevent Water Leaks and Water Damage

Restoration Experts of Ronkonkoma, NY, has been serving the Ronkonkoma area since 1995. The team of property damage restoration and cleaning experts truly cares about their customers. Fire damage, water damage, and puffback damage is emotionally traumatic, disrupting every facet of life until the damage is repaired.

Restoration Experts is helpfully offering information about accessible, cutting-edge technology that can alert homeowners to water leaks in their homes. Why? The same reason the company urges customers to maintain smoke alarms and fire extinguishers and practice fire safety. The Restoration Experts team cares about the community.

Water Damage Incidents Are Stressful and Disruptive

Typical water supply lines on a washer are rated to last about five to seven years. What does this mean in practical terms? Every seven years, a washing machine line ruptures and spews seven gallons of water a minute on the laundry floor. If the line ruptured just after the homeowner left for work and was discovered ten hours later when the homeowner returned home, over 4,000 gallons of water would have been deposited in the home, causing serious water damage.

The fact that the flooring, subflooring, baseboards, sheetrock, carpeting, and cabinets got wet and stayed wet for many hours compounds the water damage. Flooring buckles, sheetrock and baseboards sag, and wall studs warp and crack. After a few hours, the carpeting can no longer be salvaged. Contamination from the water and potential bacteria and mold may mean that the carpeting and padding must be discarded. Paint blisters and peels. Finishes on wood furniture begin to degrade.

By the time the homeowner returns home, mold spores may have gotten a foothold. If the water is allowed to flow for a day or two, the magnitude of the water damage event increases exponentially. Flooring may be destroyed, HVAC floor vents are probably full of water, and mold is proliferating. The home may have a musty smell, and the walls may be turning green, blue, yellow, or black. What was already a major water damage catastrophe is now a widespread mold infestation.

The Benefits of Smart Home Technology

Smart technology in water-sensor systems quickly alerts homeowners of leaks and reduces or prevents the cause of expensive and time-consuming repairs.

There are approximately 14,000 water damage events daily across America. Smart home technology enables consumers to manage their personal liability and risks. In addition to possibly leading to the mitigation of serious water damage, leak sensors can also spare homeowners from the loss of personal belongings and the headache of coordinating disruptive restoration and pair efforts in the home.

How Do Water Sensors Work?

Water sensors detect moisture and water in the areas where the device is placed. When placed in a location where water should not be present, the sensors detect a leak. Wi-Fi enables the sensors to transmit a signal that notifies the homeowner through a smartphone app. If the homeowner will be unavailable on vacation or on a business trip, family members, friends, or caretakers can be assigned to receive the alert notification of a leak. Upon receiving the message, the designated person can respond quickly to prevent further water and mold damage.

Some water-sensor systems can be programmed to stop the flow of water to the home in order to prevent a minor leak from growing into a large one. A qualified professional should be consulted before installing sensor-activated water shut-off devices in homes heated by steam-heating systems. The same advice applies to homes or businesses protected by an automatic fire sprinkler system.

Placement of Water Sensors

The recommendation is to place water sensors in areas where water damage inside the home can happen with little or no warning. These areas include:

Washing machines
Hot water heaters
Dishwashers
Refrigerators
Supply lines to automatic ice makers
Toilets and sinks
Fish tanks

The performance of routine maintenance and visual checkups for corroded, rusty, damaged, or worn valves and water supply lines is one of the most effective avenues to pre-empt water damage.

Water sensors and the control modules can be found at most big box home improvement stores and online. Many options are available to fit any need and many budgets. Be aware that some sensors are single-activation units. They must be replaced with a new unit once activated. Other sensors may be designed for multiple uses.

Restoration Experts, a locally owned and operated property damage restoration company, serves Suffolk and Nassau Counties, including Ronkonkoma and Long Island. The company offers fire damage, water damage, puffback damage, and cleaning services. Insurance claims are billed directly, and there are no out of pocket expense on most claims.

For more information about water damage restoration in Ronkonkoma and Long Island, contact Restoration Experts at (631) 588-1110.