Your laundry room holds the two appliances that can cause the most damage to you and your home.

One of the most common homeowners claims is water damage from a leaky washer hose. The hoses are prone to leaking due to the stress of the constant on and off of the water. A leaky washer hose can cause thousands of dollars of damage in just minutes. There are three small steps you can take to minimize the chance of a leak.

#1 Replace rubber hoses with braided stainless steel hoses which are much more durable.
#2 Install shut off valves that make it very easy to shut off the water source when not in use.
#3 Install Water Hammer Arrestors on your supply lines that minimize the jarring on the water hoses when the water is turned on and off.

The other dangerous appliance is your clothes dryer. This appliance is both a fire hazard as well as a carbon monoxide hazard. Once again with a few small steps you can minimize the chance of a catastrophe,

#1 Avoid using the plastic dryer vent hoses.
#2 Make sure you clean your lint trap after every use.
#3 Make sure your vent is free from debris (lint, bird nests, etc)

With an investment of only around $100 and an afternoon of work you can greatly reduce the chance of suffering a loss of property or life.