How to prevent water damage

9/7/2018 (Permalink)

Whether it's a little water or a lot of water, the damage can be costly!

Protecting your home from water damage!

Ensure Good Drainage. Poor drainage weakens your foundation, causing cracks, uneven settling, and pathways for water to enter your home.

Clean your gutters routinely

A clogged gutter will send cascades of water down the side of your house, damaging your siding and foundation.

Ensure your downspouts direct water 5 to 10 feet away from your house.

Make sure your yard is sloped at least 6 inches over a 10-foot span away from your foundation. That slope keeps water from getting down right next to your foundation, where it could cause walls to lean, crack the masonry, and create leaks. (For crawl spaces, keeping water away makes sure excess water doesn’t pool underneath your floor, making for damp conditions that encourage mold, rot, and insects.)

But don’t let the soil get too dry, either. Long dry spells let the soil around your house dry out and shrink. A big rain may make the soil expand, putting pressure on your foundation walls. In a drought, run a soaker hose at least 6 inches from the foundation and 3 inches under the soil to keep the soil from contracting and expanding.

Test Your Sump Pump Regularly

How to test your sump pump:

Slowly fill the sump pump pit with water. Watch for the “float” (similar to the float in your toilet) to rise, which should turn on the pump. Then watch to make sure the water level falls.

Test your backup pump the same way, but unplug the main pump first.

If you don’t have a backup pump — or a generator — and are on municipal water, get one that runs on water pressure. If you’re on well water, your only option is the battery kind.

Check for Water Leaks and Fix Them.

Persistent leaks lead to mold and mildew, rot, and even termites and carpenter ants (they like chewing soggy wood, since it’s soft). Yet if you fix a leak soon after it starts, there may be no long-term damage at all.

How to check for leaks:

Check for dark spots under pipes inside sink cabinets, stains on ceilings, toilets that rock, and of course drips.

At least once a year, inspect your roof. Repair missing, loose, and damaged shingles. Repair any cracked caulking and check for leaks around flashing.

For more information on water damage and cleanup Click Here

Or contact SERVPRO of Lebanon/Hanover/Littleton at 603.298.6942