Wintertime Water Woes

In the winter one of the most aggravating problems for any homeowner is the problem of frozen or broken water pipes. This has been an especially difficult problem for me because I live in a rural area, and my water comes from a household well. My water problems usually centered around the well at the pump or at the point where the water comes into the house.

Of course, you can prevent the pump from freezing by insulating it and your well house. Cover the pump and inside of the well covering with a thick barrier of rolled insulation material which you can purchase at a home improvement store. Sometimes even putting a light bulb in the pump enclosure to give off a little heat may help.

The bigger problem is when the water actually reaches the house, the temperature drops, and the pipes burst. Sometimes a broken pipe can cause serious or even severe damage before you can get it fixed. I’m sure you’ve heard the horror stories of families who’ve gone on vacation and returned to find that an entire floor of their home had been ruined.

Once the leak and water damage are fixed, it’s a great relief, and you can rest assured all is well with your home once again-right? Wrong! A friend of mine had some water damage repaired a few years ago, and he never knew he had any remaining issues until three years later when he decided to renovate his home. It was then that he discovered mold inside the wall.

At this point, however, mold spores were already in the air and traveling through the rest of the home, and this had been happening for years. He was shocked to find out that the spores could travel throughout the home through the vents and ductwork of his heating and air conditioning systems. In fact, it had spread so much from the point of origin, that the home was no longer safe to live in until the remediation job was completed.

To help in a situation like this, it’s always best to consult an expert, but just because you can’t see the mold doesn’t mean it isn’t there. If you are experiencing symptoms of mold exposure, or can smell the mold, then a mold inspection sooner is much better than later. Don’t leave the safety of your family and home to chance this winter. The time and money spent on an inspection in the early stages of mold development, could save you countless more 6 months down the road.