In spring, homeowners should start preparing for the upcoming rainy weather that the season brings. The combination of melting snow and rainstorms can cause flooding conditions, especially for homeowners who live near rivers, lakes, and ponds. Ensure you know how to protect your home from flood damage in spring.
Clean Up Winter Debris
You may have noticed that the winter snow and wind bring down lots of debris from nearby trees around your property. Debris like twigs, branches, and dead leaves can collect in your gutters, window wells, and around your yard. Make sure to clean up this debris before the melting snow and rainy weather cause flooding. If your gutters become clogged, rainwater will have nowhere to go. This may damage your roof, siding, or foundation. The water will cascade out of your gutters and down the sides of your house.
Check for Leaks
As the weather warms up, inspect your home and property for damage. Holes, cracks, and other damages to your siding, roof, and foundation can allow water to flood into your home, causing even more issues. Winter can be rough on homes, and it often leads to damaged shingles, siding, and more. Make sure to check if your home has developed any of these problems.
Test Your Sump Pump
Your sump pump will be crucial for protecting your home from flood damage. Make sure to test your sump pump before the first rainstorm of the year to ensure that everything is in working order. Your sump pump will help keep excess water out of your foundation, basement, and other areas around your home. You should also have a backup energy source, such as a generator, to power your sump pump in the event of an electrical outage.
Direct Water Away
Your gutters and downspouts can only do so much to prevent water from pooling near your home’s foundation. When water collects near your home, it can seep into your foundation and cause a plethora of problems. Water damage to your foundation may cause it to weaken, putting your home at a safety risk. Any type of water that collects in a small space like your foundation, crawl space, or attic may also promote mold growth. Monitor the outdoor area near your home’s foundation carefully in the spring. If water starts to pool, try extending your downspouts or adding a foundation drain tile in that area to direct it away from your home.
Use these tips to protect your home from flood damage in spring. If you can’t stop water damage before flooding conditions strike, you can always call your local water remediation company like us here at Aloha Restoration, Co. We offer water mitigation and remediation services for all steps of the water damage cleanup process.
