Tips for Preventing Floods in Your Home
A flood can have a devastating impact on your home. Floods can happen due to heavy rain storms, hurricanes, or accidents inside the house. A bad flood can ruin your foundation and make a home unlivable. According to Ruby Home Real Estate, about 14,000 people in the U.S. are affected by water damage daily. Read on for tips on how to prevent a call for emergency flood services.
Watch Forecasts
Pay attention to weather forecasts. If there is a serious likelihood of a heavy storm, especially a hurricane, take the time to prepare your home for the possibility of a flood. Quickly seal off any entryways, such as doors or windows. If you have a basement, inspect it for any vulnerable areas and make sure they are sealed.
Lift Your Home
If you live in an area with constant flooding or a high water table, you may want to consider lifting your home. When contractors lift your home, they raise it from its current foundation and make the existing one higher and stronger. Having your home on a higher foundation decreases the likelihood that the main house will flood. They can also make the new foundation as impenetrable as possible to avoid the need for emergency flood services.
Check Pipes
Sure, you stay on top of any plumbing inspections, but what happens if a pipe bursts? Have your local plumber check it out immediately. Even the smallest of leaks can eventually turn into a massive flood. Be aware of the weather as pipes can easily burst when they freeze over.
Seal Doors and Windows
Your doors and windows are easy targets for water rushing in from inclement weather. If a storm is approaching, you can immediately weatherstrip the edges. However, you should upgrade these entry points with storm doors and windows. Installing a steel or iron door may be expensive, but it can provide protection from intruders and weather. Double-pane windows are stronger than single-pane ones, so call your local window installers for an upgrade.
There are ways you can protect your property from floods. Use weather stripping, pipe inspections, or move into an area that’s not flood-prone. If you’re dealing with flood issues, contact us at ServiceMaster for our local emergency flood services today.