by Mary Pope-Handy | Jul 3, 2021 | Environmental Hazards, Home Improvement, Remodeling, Safety, Water
Refrigerator floods are no laughing matter! Last month, my sister in-law’s fridge leaked causing the hardwood floors to pucker and swell, pushing cabinets and even lifting countertops! They’ve had to move out while their kitchen undergoes a massive overhaul. When my refrigerator line broke back in 2012, it was a similar story. The damage was extensive, and repairs were time consuming and expensive! So what can cause leaks and flooding and how can homeowners prevent it?
Causes for Refrigerator Floods and Leaks
Does your refrigerator have an automatic icemaker or a cold-water dispenser? If so, that plumbing is all capable of breaking. What if you don’t have a water line to your fridge? You can still have a leak. Humidity from the air and produce becomes ice or water when cooled. Modern refrigerators have been designed to automatically defrost: ice is melted, flows down a drain, and collects in a drip pan where it is heated (usually via waste heat from the refrigeration system) to evaporate the moisture. If the condensate is not taken care of properly it can become water damage!
Looking a little more closely, here are a few common causes:
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by Mary Pope-Handy | May 30, 2019 | About the Valley of Hearts Delight, Natural Hazards, Water
Valley Water depth to first groundwater in Santa Clara County
In most of Santa Clara County, home owners do not own the right to drill a well and pump groundwater under their property. That will be clarified in the preliminary title report (similarly, oil and mineral rights are usually not sold with residential neighborhood parcels here). The depth of the water may be of interest, though, as a high water table may have possible risks.
High Water Table Risks
In come cases there could be problems with springs under the home. When that happens, the groundwater may percolate up under the house during times of heavy rains, causing water in the crawl space and possibly creating foundation damage later.
Another risk is underground water moving environmental hazards to your property. A plume of water could potentially move toxins released at a leaking underground storage tank (“LUST” site) to your property’s area, where you may be responsible for the cleanup! (For info on the leaking underground storage tanks, you’d want to read the JCP or similar report for natural and environmental hazards. That will tell you if there are any LUST sites within 1 mile of the property.)
Does your home, or the one you want to buy in the Santa Clara Valley, have a high water table? One way to learn is to check out the interactive map on the Valley Water website. Much or most of Campbell seems to have first groundwater at a depth of 50 to 100 feet. Much of the low-lying areas of San Jose and Santa Clara have water at a mere 0 – 10′!
The interactive map that I saw includes most, but not all, of the valley. Enjoy checking it out!
Santa Clara County Depth to First Groundwater
Related Reading:
Historic Homes, Willow Glen, Foundations and Red Flags
Why are the hardwood floors cupping?
Refrigerator floods are no laughing matter! Last month, my sister in-law’s fridge leaked causing the hardwood floors to pucker and swell, pushing cabinets and even lifting countertops! They’ve had to move out while their kitchen undergoes a massive overhaul. When my refrigerator line broke back in 2012, it was a similar story. The damage was extensive, and repairs were time consuming and expensive! So what can cause leaks and flooding and how can homeowners prevent it?
