Prevent water from going where it shouldn’t

One of the most disheartening experiences is to find flooding or extreme water damage to your treasured home. Living in the beautiful & wet Pacific Northwest we are prone to water damage. At A & M Insurance, we know you want to protect what’s important. That’s why we’re offering these tips to help you prevent many of the most common causes of water damage. Just a little time and some effort can prevent a lot of heartache and hassle.

• Make sure your water pressure is not set too high. For just $6 or so, you can purchase a gauge that will help you test your pressure for the appropriate level, which should be set between 60 and 80 PSI.
• Standard hoses on new appliances are not as durable as they used to be. So check your appliances. If they’re rubber, either replace them with longer lasting stainless steel braided hoses or replace them every three years.
• Keep water from leaking into the walls or floor of your bathroom by replacing cracked tiles and re-grouting when it’s needed.
• Examine the shingles on your roof. Worn, curled or missing shingles allow water in, so replace them as soon as noticed.
• Consider buying a water alarm, which can help you find leaks, or automatic shut-off mechanisms, which can help avoid bursts.
• A lot of water damage occurs when you and your family are away from home.  Make a practice to avoid running the washing machine or dishwasher while you’re out.
• When you leave for vacations, turn off the water supply to appliances.
• Keep up maintenance on all appliance hoses, because slow leaks from worn out hoses can cause major damage (and remember slow leaks are not covered under Homeowners insurance).

At A&M, we hope these pointers will help keep your house nice and dry this year!

Do you have flood insurance?

Contact Us! Flooding from ground surface water rising is not covered under homeowners insurance so ask us about flood insurance. At A&M, we can work with you to make sure you’ve got the coverage you need, while at the same time using all possible credits and discounts to make that coverage affordable. Just give us a call at 425-228-7406 or send us a note at insured@AMinsurance.com. We want to help you meet your goals, and make sure what’s important to you is protected!