Spring can be a welcome relief after a long winter of cold and snow. But it’s not always rainbows and butterflies, especially as warmer temps cause snow to melt in mass while also leading to rainier weather from up above. Before you know it, flooding is on the rise, and your home is at risk for water damage. As you anticipate the blooming tulips and nesting robins, use the following tips to help strengthen your home’s fight against any spring flooding and rains the season sends your way.
1. Relocate Snow:
The closer piles of snow are to your home, the easier it is for it to melt and make its way into your home. Clear snow away from around the foundation and move it to be at least three to five feet away from the exterior.
2. Check Gutters And Downspouts:
When debris, such as leaves, sticks, and dirt, gets trapped in gutters, it can block the passage of water from flowing freely off of roofs and away from the home. Clearing out debris from both gutters and downspouts can help prevent water from seeping into attics, walls, and foundations. If necessary, add downspout extensions to ensure water is draining at least three feet from the home’s foundation.
3. Inspect And Mend Foundation Cracks:
Water can get in more easily when there are cracks in the foundation. For minor repairs, fill cracks with a concrete patch. For bigger concerns, it’s best to bring in a professional to make sure your foundation is repaired in such a way that it acts as a waterproof barrier between the interior and exterior.
4. Grade The Landscape Properly:
If weather permits, regrade the landscaping surrounding your home to make sure water drains away from the home instead of toward it. If necessary, pull plant material and add more soil where needed.
5. Install And Maintain Sump Pumps:
Sump pumps help to send water away from the home in areas such as basements and below-grade rooms that tend to flood more easily. If you don’t already have one, consider installing a sump pump or investing in a more portable version. If you already have a sump pump, inspect it to make sure it is in good working order and is clear of debris.
6. Cover Window Wells:
Installing window well covers not only allows for natural light in below-ground rooms but also prevents melting snow and rain from making their way into the home.
7. Fix Leaky Pipes Or Spigots:
Perform a perimeter check to verify that all spigots and outdoor pipes are sealed tightly and ready for use. Any pipes with cracks should be patched or replaced immediately, and spigots repaired quickly.
8. Home Inspection:
Bring in a skilled professional to investigate your home in more depth than you might feel confident doing on your own. A professional will be able to specify vulnerabilities where water damage could occur as well as provide recommendations on how to mediate any concerns.
The unfortunate truth is that water damage can happen no matter what measures you take to reinforce your home. In the event of flooding, equip your home with tools to help you quickly respond to any potential water damage, including a generator, a wet/dry vac, fans, contact information for professionals in your area, and National Flood Insurance.
Sewage Backup
The heavy rains spring brings are damaging enough if it leads to in-home flooding, but add a sewage backup, and the problem goes from bad to worse. Instead of water in your home, you now have wastewater, which equates to a smelly, dirty mess, with the added disadvantage of potential health hazards for you and your family.
Common Causes of Sewage Backup
When weather is dry, a sewer backup is most often caused by clogged pipes. That clogging is typically due to a blockage, such as flushed-toilet items that don’t easily break down, tree roots encroaching on pipes, fats, oils, or grease discarded down drains, or settling soil that collapses pipes making areas impassable.
When the weather is wet, a sewer overflow can occur when large amounts of rainfall and water from melting snow become too much for the property drainage system to handle. If water levels rise above your drainage system, you could end up with bacteria-ridden waste water back flowing into your home
Prevent Wet Weather Sewer Overflow
You already know you can’t stop Mother Nature from dropping spring rains. And if you’re in a municipality where sewage and storm water systems are combined, your hands may feel tied to preventing water damage risks to your home. But while you might not be able to control the amount of rainfall or the amount of water the drainage system can handle, you can be on guard to protect your home and your family’s health by using one of the following flood prevention systems.
1. Sump Pump:
When heavy rains fall to the ground, the water needs somewhere to go. Instead of pooling in your basement, a sump pump can act as a first line of defense to collect the water and send it on its way. The pump is installed into a shallow pit in the foundation where excess water gathers. When water fills up, the pump is activated to remove the water before it has the chance to cause a sewage backup.
2. Alarms:
If your home is prone to water leaks despite your best effort to address the root cause, use a detection system to be notified when water levels are on the rise. There are all kinds of water sensors available and many are relatively inexpensive. If water begins to collect in an area of your home, the sensor will go off so that you can respond to the issue as quickly as possible to avoid sewage backup.
3. Automatic Backwater Valve:
Possibly the best way to stop a public line sewage backup is to install a valve that only allows water to flow in one direction. So when the sewer water reaches a set level above the house drain, the valve closes off and stops the backwater from getting in. Once the water levels drop, the air in the chamber decompresses and the valve is able to re-open automatically. The spring rains will soon be falling. Don’t let a potential flood lead to a mess of a sewage problem. Work with a professional to assess your home and respond to any potential flaws.
If you’ve already got the aftermath of a sewage backup on your hands, let us help. We can quickly and safely remove the waste water, and clean and dry the area back to pre-damage conditions. You don’t have to deal with dilemmas all on your own. Give us a call.
Sewage Damage Cleanup Services
Sewer backups show no concern for the places they invade. Sewage cleanup is a scary thing, as virtually all surfaces it encounters become breeding grounds for bacteria. This makes it a very unique type of damage restoration project. Whether this has happened in your residence or a commercial location, we know the best way to properly take care of the cleanup. Various flooring types, contents, and room finishing materials can create a tricky situation. In most cases, the carpet and drywall will have to be disposed of. Even water that looks clean and clear can carry harmful bacteria. If it came out of a sewer, presume it to be contaminated.
Lamunyon Water Damage Services: Restoration, Cleanup, and Repair
Whether you have a flooded basement, malfunctioning dishwasher, washing machine, refrigerator or water heater, a sewer line break or backup, a toilet or sink overflow, or a broken or leaky pipe, it’s very important to call a water damage professional, such as Lamunyon Dry Out & Foundation Repair. Who can stop the water source, start the water removal and structural drying before toxic mold begins to grow. And to begin the process of water damage repairs and reconstruction so that you and your family or business can get back to normal as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the worse it gets and the more that the process costs in time and money. If you have a water problem, call us now!
