3 Things You Can Do to Prevent Water Damage to Your Home

Water gives life to plants, animals, and people, but it can also be a source of destruction to property. Water can cause tremendous damage to your home, even in relatively small amounts.

In fact, homeowners who fail to account for its destructive potential are putting their houses at risk. That’s why it’s critical to plan accordingly and take measures that will keep water from ruining your home. Below are three things you can do to reduce or eliminate the negative impact that water has on your property.

Install and Maintain Gutters

Gutters are a vital, first-line defense against the destructive force of water. They intercept rain or melting snow and carry it to a safe location where it is unable to do harm to your property.

That’s why gutters should be installed anywhere water drains from your roof. Leaving areas unprotected allows water to soak into the ground near your foundation or basement. Water in these areas of your home can seep into basement walls or cause swelling of soils; thus, leading to costly foundation cracking.

In addition, poorly installed and maintained gutters are just as bad as having no gutters at all. For example, gutters that aren’t sloped properly will not drain well. Moreover, clogged gutters also prevent good drainage by damming water and creating “ponds” inside the gutter channels.

Accumulated water eventually will stagnate, and this, in turn, creates a perfect habitat for mosquitoes and the generation of unpleasant odors. Not only that, but clogged gutters can also attract other pests, such as squirrels, ants and other creatures that can damage your home.

As such, it is critical that your gutters be properly installed and maintained to prevent trouble. Use the services of a professional gutter specialist to correct any existing gutter flaws and keep your gutters clean and clear.

Use a Reliable, Effective Sump Pump

If your home has a basement, then you may already know about sump pumps. However, many homes are equipped with substandard pumps and basement drainage. That means those homeowners are setting themselves up for catastrophe should a flood or heavy-rain event occur.

A reliable and effective sump pump will capture water entering your basement and pump it to a safe outdoor location. Pumps are often incapable of removing water from basements for several reasons, including insufficient power, clogs inside the pump and sump basin, and problems with the drainage pipe network. Some pumps even fail to work at all when they are needed the most.

To help make sure your sump pump is up for the job, test it annually by pouring a few gallons of water into the sump. In addition, take the time to clean out the sump basin and inspect the pump and associated piping. If you don’t feel good about your sump pump’s performance or discover it’s not working, contact a qualified plumber or installation company for help.

Promote Good Exterior Drainage

Some homeowners have capable gutters and a functional sump pump in place, but they still run the risk of taking on water damage due to poor drainage. In this case, water that can’t leave your property and instead pools and saturates the soil around your home. This can cause serious problems.

For example, the force of water in the soil pressing into your home’s basement wall can cause basement flooding. In addition, even in homes without a basement, standing water can do harm to the foundation.

That’s why it’s important for homeowners to establish conditions that promote good drainage. Steps such as sloping the ground away from the home can help ensure that water runs downhill and away from the structure. In addition, the installation of French drains can also help by channeling water and carrying it to a safe disposal spot.

If you feel like your current gutters require maintenance or replacement, contact the professionals at Gutter Magician, Inc. for a free estimate.