Water Damage Team Blog

Water is an integral element in the lives of nearly every human being on the planet. But water can also cause mass flooding, ruin cities, and kill millions. Water damage from storms can cost hundreds, or even thousands of dollars to fix. But what do we really know about water? We know our bodies need water to survive and there’s nothing more refreshing then diving into a pool on a hot summer day. Below are 20 other water facts the Water Damage Team has collected for your entertainment.

1. The average American uses 80 to 100 gallons of water every day.

2. 75 % of the earth’s surface is water.

3. 97% of the earth’s water is in the oceans, 2% is frozen in glaciers, while only 1% is considered drinkable.

4. 75 % of earth’s fresh water is frozen in the polar ice caps.

5. Humans can live without food for over a month, but a person can only live without water for a single week.

6. Showers, bathroom faucets, toilets, and kitchen sinks use up to 5 gallons of water per minute.

7. An average dishwasher uses 25 gallons of water per a load.

8. An average washing machine uses about 30 gallons of water per load.

9. It takes 2 gallons for the average American to brush their teeth, 5 gallons to flush a toilet, and between 25 and 50 gallons to take a shower.

10. If everyone in the United States used just one less gallon of water per shower every day, we could save at least 85 billion gallons of water per year.

11. If everyone in the United States flushed the toilet just one less time per day, we could save enough water to fill a mile long lake full of water.

2. On average, it takes about a gallon of water to process a quarter pound of ground beef.

13. On average, it takes 2,072 gallons of water to make four new tires.

14. The farming industry is a major source of water pollution, specifically fromfertilizer and agricultural run-off.

15. Ancient Egyptians treated water by siphoning it out of the top of huge jars filled with water from the Nile River.

16. Hippocrates, also known as the Greek father of medicine, was the first person to recognize the importance of purifying water when he told people in Greece to boil and strain water before drinking it.

17. It wasn’t until the 1950’s that scientists began to suspect that water could carry diseases. Water had been treated before, but always for taste or smell, this was when water began to be treated for safety.

18. The first American water plant with filters was built in Poughkeepsie, New York in 1872.

19. For each glass of water you drink in a restaurant another two glasses of water were used to properly wash and rinse the glass. If one out of every four people declined a glass of water we would save 26 million gallons per day.

20. The Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974 was the first time in the United States that public drinking water supplies were protected on a federal level.

Most water damage that occurs inside the house could be easily avoided if the home owners had taken a few preventative measures. Follow these ten easy tips and you may be able to avoid thousands of dollars in water damage cleanup costs.

1. Check for leaks by monitoring the water meter while all faucets and water-using appliances are shut off. Check every few minutes for an hour or so to see if there are any changes. If there has been water used then a pipe leak may exist.

2. Make sure you have easy access to the main water shut off valve. Being able to quickly stop the flow of water in a water damage emergency can prevent hundreds of dollars in unnecessary damage.

3. Every so often you should look underneath all the sinks throughout your house to check for pipe leaks. Also pay attention to slow-draining pipes as they may have blockages. It’s also a good idea to recaulk around sinks that are old or deteriorating.

4. If you have tiled floors or bathrooms you should always make sure there are n o cracks or missing areas of grout. To prevent water damage you should make sure all grout is intact and sealed.

5. The dishwasher is a common source of water damage in the kitchen that could be avoided if properly monitored. You should check around the dishwasher for discolored or warped materials and also inspect the house that connects the dishwasher to the water line.

6. If you have a refrigerator that has a built in ice maker you should periodically check the water connection hose for leaks.

7. It’s always a good idea to have a working fan in your bathroom to help avoid water damage. If you do not already have one built in you can probably purchase an easy to install fan from a local home improvement store.

8. Check the caulking around bathtubs and toilets throughout your house. Look for any discolorations, cracks, or mold. Make sure to recaulk any problem areas at the first sign of water damage.

9. If you have a washing machine in your home you should inspect the connection hose every now an
d then for signs of damage. You should replace the hose every three years even if you do not notice a problem.

10. Have your air conditioning serviced by a qualified contractor every few years. They will be able to check for obstructions that may cause damage.