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Holiday travel leaves many homes unoccupied, when an undetected leak can run for days.
The main shut-off valve is usually in the garage, basement or crawl space; turning it clockwise until it stops closes it.
About 1 in 60 insured U.S. homes files a water damage or freezing claim each year; the average claim is about $15,400 (Insurance Information Institute).
Help Me Now connects Puget Sound homeowners with licensed water damage professionals around the clock, including holidays.
Help Me Now works with licensed, bonded and insured water damage professionals in King, Snohomish, Pierce and Kitsap counties.
Help Me Now outlines a 30-second shut-off valve check for homeowners leaving for Thanksgiving and the winter holidays
A burst supply line or failed water heater can release hundreds of gallons of water an hour. In an unoccupied home, a leak can go unnoticed for days. Water saturates flooring, drywall and cabinetry, and homeowners often return to buckled hardwood, collapsed ceilings and early mold growth.
Water losses are among the most frequent home insurance claims. According to the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I), about 1 in 60 insured U.S. homes files a water damage or freezing claim each year, and the average claim from 2019 to 2023 was about $15,400. Cold snaps add to the risk in the Pacific Northwest, where many homes have plumbing in crawl spaces and exterior walls.
"The holidays are when we see the worst water losses, because no one is home to catch the leak," said Georgiy Kharchenko of Help Me Now. "Thirty seconds at the shut-off valve before you leave can save weeks of repairs."
A PRE-TRAVEL CHECKLIST FOR HOMEOWNERS
- Locate the main shut-off valve. In most Puget Sound homes it is where the water line enters the house, typically in the garage, basement or crawl space, near the water heater, or in a meter box near the street.
- Turn the valve clockwise until it stops, then open a faucet to confirm the water is off.
- Keep the heat on and set to at least 55°F to protect pipes in exterior walls and crawl spaces.
- If the main valve cannot be shut off, close the supply valves to the washing machine, dishwasher and icemaker.
- Test the sump pump and clear gutters and downspouts ahead of heavy rain.
- Arrange for a neighbor or friend to check the home every few days.
WHAT TO DO IF WATER GETS IN
Restoration professionals advise acting within the first 24 to 48 hours, before mold can begin to grow. Homeowners who find water damage should shut off the water source, turn off electricity to affected areas if it is safe to do so, photograph the damage for the insurance claim, and contact a licensed water damage professional to extract the water and dry the structure.
Help Me Now connects homeowners in King, Snohomish, Pierce and Kitsap counties with licensed, bonded and insured water damage professionals around the clock, including holidays. The service is available at (425) 279-7097 and HelpMeNow.com.
ABOUT HELP ME NOW
Help Me Now (HelpMeNow Inc.) is a Bellevue, Washington-based home services marketplace that connects homeowners in real time with vetted, licensed, bonded and insured professionals for hundreds of home service categories, including water, mold and fire damage emergencies. More information is available at HelpMeNow.com.
Georgiy Kharchenko
Help Me Now Inc
+1 425-279-7097
admin@helpmenow.com
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