Helena Talbot's blog - Pesky Plumbing Issues And How To Stop Them

If you own a home, you know that plumbing leaks can occur at any time.  Sometimes they develop slowly over time and sometimes they are a sudden occurrence.   The cost involved in repairing a major plumbing leak can get expensive.  Not to mention if you develop mold and the clean up involved with that.  But with some good preventive measures you can avoid most disasters.
Here are some preventive measures you can take to avoid as many plumbing disasters as possible.

• Locate your main water shut off valve.  Your entire family should know where it is and how to use it.  If you ever have a leak or any other type of plumbing emergency, you can turn off the water to your entire house from the main water valve.  This will stop the water and help prevent any further damage until you can get the leak repaired

• Have shut off valves installed on your appliances and fixtures.  You can do this yourself or you can have a professional do it for you. This will allow you to turn off the water to a specific area of your home while allowing the water to flow to the other parts of your house

• Have a flow sensor installed.  A flow sensor will automatically shut off the water to your house if it detects a leak

• During the winter months, remove your hoses from the exterior faucets of your home.  This will prevent them from freezing and cracking the pipes.  It is a good idea to install a hose bib over the exterior faucets of your home during the winter months as well

• Add insulation to the pipes in cold parts of your house like the garage, basement, exterior laundry room or any crawl spaces.  Pipe insulation tubes are fairly cheap and you can find them at your local home improvement store

• Don't hang anything on your exposed pipes such as laundry or home decor.  This will loosen the pipes joints and could cause them to burst or leak

• Don't over stuff the items you put underneath your kitchen and vanity cabinets.  This could cause the pipes to loosen and leak and you may not notice this right away which will cause even further damage

• If you notice a leak, fix it immediately.  If you don't, not only will it cost you more money on your water bill,  but it will also cause your pipes to corrode and could create a dangerous mold issue as well

• You should always turn off your sprinkler system when the temperatures are going to be below freezing for more than three hours at a time.  Some  systems come with freeze sensors already installed.  You should check your system so you know whether or not you have that feature so you can act accordingly
A plumbing leak that is not fixed can cause extensive damage.  So never procrastinate when it comes to your plumbing.

I hope you have found this article helpful.  If  you are thinking about buying or selling a home, call your realtor and ask them for a list of available homes in your area.  Your realtor would be more than happy to help you in any way they can.

I specialize in helping buyers and sellers invest in real estate in Loudoun County and Northern Virginia.

I have over 25 years experience in the real estate industry.  As a Broker/Owner with Exit Realty Talbot and Company, I bring special tools and solutions that enable me to exceed the expectations of my clientele.  If you are considering listing your property in Loudoun County or the nearby areas, ask me about our latest internet marketing systems.  I would appreciate the opportunity to earn your business.  I am experienced in listing and selling short sales.

For information on the short sale process, please visit  www.LoudounShortSaleSolutions.com.

For a free market analysis on the value of your home, please visit http://www.LoudounHomeValues.com

My past awards and designations include – 2003 President of the Dulles Association of Realtors, 2003 Dulles Area Assoc Realtor of the Year, Salesperson of the year 2000 Dulles Area Assoc of Realtors,  Top Producer awards from both the Dulles Area Association and the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors.  I am a member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network.

I have lived in Loudoun County since 1979.  I am married with two grown children and two grandchildren.  My son in law is my business partner in real estate.  I love to jog in the mornings and spend time relaxing on my Trawler during the summer months.

Loudoun County and Northern Virginia Real Estate Sales and Solutions – Helena Talbot, Broker. I specialize in helping buyers and sellers invest in real estate in the Northern Virginia area to include Loudoun County and surrounding areas including Fairfax, Clarke, Fauquier, Prince William  Counties.  Our local neighborhoods includeLeesburg, Ashburn, Sterling, Potomac Falls, Brambleton, Broadlands, Lansdowne, River Creek, Belmont Country Club, Beacon Hill, Shenstone, Waterford, Lovettsville, Purcellville, Hamilton, Round Hill and Bluemont.                        Cell 703.727.9885    Office 703.574.3800

Free iPhone/Android Mobile App to search Northern Virginia real estate.  2 easy ways to get the App:  Text “Exit9” to 87778 or enter http://87778.mobi/Exit9 into your browser.