The National Flood School have identified the 30 most common causes of residential water damage. These are listed in no particular order as follows:

1. Pipes in the loft – broken or frozen;
2. Blocked guttering;
3. Storage tanks – leaky or over-flowing;
4. Badly fitted bathroom tiles;
5. Broken or poor fitting shower screens and curtains;
6. Shower trays – broken or badly fitted;
7. Baths – poorly plumbed in or unattended;
8. Poorly maintained sealant around bath and shower;
9. Poorly maintained or open chimneys;
10. Flashing around chimney – damaged or poorly installed;
11. Roof tiles – missing or broken;
12. Poorly installed or broken windows;
13. Defrosted fridges and ice machines;
14. Damp proof course – failed or missing;
15. Insufficient or low lying air bricks;
16. Damp proof course – bridged;
17. Old corroded pipe work;
18. DIY ie nailing into pipes;
19. Leaking radiators;
20. Corroded ball valves in toilet cicterns;
21. Blocked sewers and sewage back flow;
22. Unattended or blocked sinks;
23. Appliances – faulty or corroded;
24. Storm drain overflow;
25. Drainage – poor or insufficient (around foundations);
26. External flooding;
27. Insufficient threshold on external doors;
28. Poorly maintained boilers;
29. Hot water cylinders – poorly maintained;
30. Broken aquariums.

So to prevent costly and inconvenient water damage to your home make sure you maintain your property and keep an eye on the above!