It’s finally springtime, and you’ve just woken up to the sound of chirping songbirds. The sun streams through your window and you can breathe a sigh of relief that winter is over. You couldn’t be happier—until you walk downstairs and notice that your basement has become a swimming pool.
Spring floods can mean bad news for your home. They’re often the cause of mold growth, structural weaknesses and extensive water damage to your belongings. Even if you’ve got the proper home insurance coverage and flood insurance protection, it’s still a huge hassle to remedy.
If your home has flooded in the past, it’s more at risk for a flood in the future. You’ll need to take extra precautions. Make sure that your spring cleaning doesn’t involve a watery mess by protecting your home with these tips:
Inspect the Foundation
Water will find any cracks or gaps in your home and quickly pour inside. It will turn your brand new laminate floors into a soggy mess. For this step, you may want to contact a home inspector. They can survey your property and find any weaknesses in the structure of your house.
Cracks in your home’s foundation can be dangerous. Along with causing floods, they can allow insects and radon gas to seep into your home. If you spot a crack, you can patch it up using grout or concrete, depending on the size of it.
Upgrade Your Sump Pump
When your home floods, it often starts in the basement. That’s why these rooms have sump pumps, a mechanism designed to prevent water overflows.
A sump pump redirects water away from your home, which keeps your basement dry. Prevent water in your home by installing and maintaining a sump pump. It may be worth installing a back-up battery, as well, so that the sump pump will still function during a storm.
Check on the sump pump annually to ensure it’s in working order. If you’re handy, you can inspect it yourself. Even so, you may want to call a plumber to do the job, just to be safe.
A sewage backup is one of the worst issues that can happen to a homeowner. A backflow valve can provide your home with added protection against floods; it ensures that the water doesn’t flow into your home if there’s a backup.
Invest in Flood Insurance
When you’re choosing an insurance policy, talk to your independent insurance agent about what it offers for flood protection. Not all standard plans offer coverage for this type of incident. Flood protection plans can grant you peace of mind that you will be insured if there is a disaster.
Even though home insurance is another monthly expense, it will pay for itself in the event of a flood, fire or theft.
Clean your Gutters
We hardly think about our eavestroughs, but they play an important role in protecting our homes against water damage.
However, they’re not very effective at redirecting water if they’re clogged with leaves, twigs and other debris. Schedule an eavestroughs cleaning so that your gutters can handle the wetness that’s on its way.
You should also check where the downspouts are redirecting water. Make sure that it falls at least several feet away from your home.
Check your Window Wells
If you have windows in your basement, you know they aren’t as strong as a standard wall. To protect them from groundwater, window wells are usually installed. However, these wells can become built up with debris over time, diminishing their effectiveness.
Give any window wells on your home a thorough cleaning. If they’re blocked, water will collect near them and eventually seep into your home.
Inspect Your Roofing System and Plumbing
A small leak in your roof or pipes will result in a torrential downpour the next time it rains. Maintaining a healthy pipe and roof system is one of the most effective ways to prevent an indoor flood.
If you suspect that your roof is leaking, call a contractor who’s experienced with that type of roof. Similarly, contact a trusted local plumber to have a look at your home’s pipes. Detecting these issues early can save you a major headache (and repair bill) down the line.
We know what you’re thinking: the cost of preventative maintenance really adds up! It might be expensive to fix these issues with your home, but once you consider the cost of water damage, the upgrades pay for themselves.
April showers don’t need to come with a flooded basement. Make these preventive measures a part of routine maintenance for your home.
Questions about homeowners and flood insurance coverage? Contact Wallace & Turner at (937) 324-8492 in Springfield, (937) 652-8492 in Urbana, or info@wtins.com.