38 Home Disasters You Can Avoid Before the Holidays

Put Splash Pans Under Washers and Water Heaters to Catch Leaks

Once upon a time, water heaters and clothes washers always sat on concrete floors near drains, where spills and leaks wouldn’t hurt anything. Now they often sit on framed wood floors, sometimes on the second floor, where spills, overflows, broken hoses or slow drips can cause stains, rot and other potentially expensive water damage. For about $20, you can buy special pans at home centers and appliance dealers that catch slow leaks and mild overflows to prevent any kind of catastrophe during the holidays. Some have drain holes where you can connect a tube that leads to a floor drain. They won’t stop burst water lines or massive overflows, but they’re cheap insurance against water damage caused by minor spills and leaks.

And if your washing machine does start to leak, here’s how to fix the most common problems yourself.