How to prevent water damage

The most common causes are leaks from hot or cold water pipes. Water damage can be very costly and disruptive for the people affected. It causes severe damage to the building and often results in the growth of mould, which can cause allergies and asthma.

There are now more incidents of water damage in kitchens than in wet rooms. One reason for this is that more kitchen equipment is now connected to a water supply: refrigerators and freezers with builtin ice makers and carbonated water systems, for example. Another reason is that wooden floors are increasingly common. We met Peter Bratt, a damage expert at the Länsförsäkringar insurance company.

How to prevent water damage

I recommend installing a water leak detector system that can identify leaks at an early stage. They trigger an alarm and shut off the water supply if they sense any form of leak – if the toilet is running, for example, or if a concealed joint springs a leak.

Not just old pipes

Most water damage is caused by old, worn pipes. Although leaks often stem from concealed pipes, that have been dripping slowly for a long period, they may even come from new installations. That is why it is just as relevant to install a water leak detector in a new house as in an old one.

Requirement for water leak detector

Water leak detector function in roughly the same way as earth fault breakers do in electrical systems. The next stage of development towards safer homes is to require the installation of water leak detector in new builds and renovations.

The initiative would not only help individual homeowners to sleep better at night, but it would also reduce environmental impact by cutting the number of incidents of damage and improving the indoor climate in many homes.