Home water damage prevention checklist

Start here: five things to do this week

1. Find the main water shut-off and make sure everyone in the house knows where it is. Turn it off and on once to check that it works. A seized valve is no use in an emergency.
2. Look at every supply hose: washing machine, dishwasher, fridge, toilets and taps. Replace rubber and plastic ones with braided stainless steel.
3. Check the age of the water heater. The date is on the label. Tanks commonly last around 10 to 15 years, and old ones fail without warning.
4. Walk round the outside. Are downspouts attached and carrying water at least a couple of metres from the house? Does the ground slope away from the foundation?
5. Call your broker and ask whether you have sewer backup and overland water coverage.

Plumbing

• Replace supply hoses on a schedule, roughly every five to ten years, or sooner if they bulge, kink or corrode
• Replace old shut-off valves under sinks and toilets that drip or will not turn
• Check under every sink for drips, stains and swollen cabinet bases
• Fix running toilets and dripping taps
• Re-caulk around tubs, showers and sinks when the seal cracks or lifts
• Repair cracked or missing grout
• Know what your pipes are made of. Galvanised steel and some older plastic pipes are prone to failure and may concern insurers.
• Keep an eye on the water bill for unexplained increases
• Check water pressure. Very high pressure strains hoses and fittings, and a pressure-reducing valve can be fitted.

Appliances

• Washing machine: braided hoses, drain hose secured, and turn the supply valves off when away
• Dishwasher: check the supply line and the floor underneath, and clean the filter
• Fridge: proper supply line with slack behind, no kinks
• Water heater: look for rust, damp or drips at the base and fittings. Fit a drain pan where there is a floor drain.
• Air conditioner and furnace: keep the condensate drain clear, and check the humidifier
• Do not run the washer or dishwasher when nobody is home

Roof and attic

• Have the roof inspected every few years and after major storms
• Replace missing, curled or cracked shingles
• Check flashing at chimneys, skylights, vents and walls
• Look in the attic twice a year for stains, damp insulation, daylight and, in winter, frost
• Make sure bathroom fans vent outdoors
• Keep attic insulation and ventilation in good order to prevent ice dams

Eavestroughs and downspouts

• Clean eavestroughs in late spring and late autumn, more often under trees
• Check that they slope to the downspouts and are firmly attached
• Extend downspouts at least a couple of metres from the foundation, onto ground that slopes away
• Keep outlets clear of snow and ice in winter
• Disconnect downspouts from the sewer where your municipality requires or allows it

Grading and the outside of the house

• The ground should fall away from the foundation for the first couple of metres. Top up soil that has settled.
• Keep garden beds, edging and paving from trapping water against the wall
• Clear window wells, check their drains and fit covers
• Seal cracks in the foundation
• Caulk around windows, doors and where pipes and wires pass through walls
• Shut off and drain outside taps before winter, and disconnect hoses
• Keep the catch basin on the street clear of leaves and ice

Basement

• Sump pump: test it every few months by pouring water into the pit. Fit a battery backup and a high-water alarm. Replace an ageing pump before it fails.
• Backwater valve: install one if your home is at risk of sewer backup, and clean and check it yearly. See backwater valves in Ontario.
• Floor drain: keep it clear, and pour water in every month or two to keep the trap full
• Storage: plastic bins on shelves, not cardboard on the floor
• Humidity: run a dehumidifier in summer, at 45 to 50 percent
• Finishes: avoid carpet on the slab, and keep drywall and wood framing off the concrete where you can

Season by season

Spring

• Move snow away from the foundation before the thaw
• Test the sump pump and check its discharge line
• Clean eavestroughs and check downspouts
• Inspect the roof for winter damage
• Check the basement during the melt and after heavy rain
• Turn outside taps back on and check for leaks inside

Summer

• Run the dehumidifier
• Check the air conditioner’s condensate drain
• Check grading and window wells after storms
• Trim trees away from the roof
• Before a holiday, shut off the main water valve

Autumn

• Clean eavestroughs after the leaves fall
• Shut off and drain outside taps
• Have the furnace serviced
• Check weatherstripping and caulking
• Insulate pipes in unheated areas
• Check the roof and flashing before winter
• Have the chimney inspected

Winter

• Keep the heat at a steady, reasonable temperature, including when away
• Open cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls in extreme cold
• Keep the garage door closed if pipes run through it
• Watch for ice dams and frost in the attic
• Keep snow off window wells and away from the foundation
• If you go away, shut off the main water valve and have someone check the house as your policy requires

Going away

• Shut off the main water valve
• Set the water heater to its vacation setting
• Leave the heat on in winter, no lower than about 13 to 15 degrees Celsius
• Ask someone to go inside regularly. Many policies require daily checks in the heating season for freezing coverage to apply.
• Leave a key and your contact details with them

Technology that helps

• Leak sensors by every water-using appliance
• An automatic shut-off valve on the main
• A sump pump alarm
• Temperature alerts for freeze warning

See water leak detectors and shut-off valves.

Insurance check

• Sewer backup coverage
• Overland water coverage
• Ground water coverage, if offered
• Limits and deductibles for each
• The conditions for freezing and for vacancy
• Whether your contents limit is enough
• Any discounts for a backwater valve, sump pump backup or shut-off system

Many Ontario municipalities subsidise backwater valves, sump pumps and downspout disconnection. See preventing basement flooding in Ontario.

If water does get in

Stop the source, make it safe, photograph the damage, call your insurer and start drying within a day. Mold begins in 24 to 48 hours.

More: water damage restoration.