Flood damage is devastating. It can destroy prized possessions and ruin your home. While major catastrophes are unpredictable, there are things you can do to prevent flood damage from storms and water buildup from season to season.
Gutter Repair
According to Beyond Exteriors, one of the most important things you can do is make sure your gutters are in good working condition. If your gutters are backed up, it can cause water to flood your lawn, which not only leaves fertile ground for water loving bugs to grow (like mosquitoes), it can seriously damage the foundation to your home. To maintain your gutters, make sure that they are clear of debris. Do a regular checkup of your gutters about twice a year. Maintaining your gutters is crucial to preventing flood damage.
Plumbing Maintenance
Maintaining your plumbing is another thing you can do to prevent flood damage. Clogged drains are the number one problem that you will have with your plumbing. A little regular maintenance can help make sure your plumbing is in peak condition. When clearing clogged drains, don’t use chemical drain cleaners as that could cause further damage by eroding the pipes. Plumbing maintenance also includes making sure that your drains and pipes aren’t being too strained. Check what you’re putting down your pipes, and if you don’t already have them, install screens over your drains to catch hair or food scraps to prevent the drain from being clogged. Above all, remember that if you spot a problem, fix it as soon as you can to prevent further damage.
Fix Broken Sprinklers
Sprinklers are incredibly useful, but they can also be potentially problematic if they break. A broken sprinkler can leak water everywhere, which could potentially leak into your house. According to The Sprinkler Guy, a fix can be as simple as replacing a broken sprinkler head with a functional one. Sometimes it might be more complicated with a burst pipe or a flooded valve box, both of which will require professional services to fix. When your sprinklers are on, weekly check them to make sure that all the heads are functional and hitting the proper areas. If you notice any problems, investigate fixing them as soon as possible to prevent damage to your house and lawn.
Proper Drainage Outside
In addition to maintaining your sprinklers, you’ll also want to maintain proper drainage in your yard. Standing water can lead to a host of problems, such as major erosion, root rot, and damage to your house’s foundation. If there is standing water in your yard every time there’s a thunderstorm, it might be time to change how your yard drains. This might require installing a French drain or a box drain or putting in a rain garden for the soggy patch. If your yard doesn’t drain water properly, you could potentially have to pay major damages for repairs.
Repair Leaks
Leaks are a common source of flooding damage and they can come from anywhere. According to GAF, they could come from your roof or in your foundation and basement. There could even be leaks where the toilet seal (what connects the toilet to the floor) is busted. All these leaks could lead to water into your house where it doesn’t belong. Leaks in the roof could cause mold to grow up there, which could damage the structure of your house. Check for leaks regularly. Some leaks you may be able to repair yourself, such as fixing the flashing on the roof by the chimney or replacing the seal on the toilet. Others you might need to call in some professional assistance to help you out.
Maintain Sump Pump
Another thing you can do to prevent flood damages is maintain the sump pump, which is usually in your basement. It is important to maintain the sump pump often it is unused for several months. Check it every few months to make sure that the float goes up when you dump water in it (meaning it’s still operational) and that it drains into the yard (where it should).
Being prepared for floods will require some effort on your part and may be expensive at times. However, regular upkeep is necessary and crucial to prevent flood waters from damaging your home.
It’s always good to be prepared for anything that could happen to your home. Get some peace of mind by getting homeowners’ insurance! Contact us today for a quote.