How To Prevent Winter Flooding In Your Home (What To Look Out For, Early Home Flooding Signs)

How To Prevent Winter Flooding In Your Home

Most homeowners think that flooding only happens in the spring-fall time but this isn’t true. Home floods happen year round and can happen no matter what season it is.

If you live in Colorado or somewhere with unpredictable weather, you know that in the winter it can be very cold one day and then the next day it can be weather like it just turned into spring in less than 24 hours! This creates common flooding because the snow will melt quickly resulting in a lot of running water from the snow.

Sudden shifts of temperature can also cause a crack in a home’s foundation which can cause water entering the walls of your home. An example is if you put cold water on hot glass, it will break because of the sudden temperature change.

Here are tips on how to prevent flooding in your home during the winter

Keep The Gutters Clear

When you can, regularly check for blockages in your gutters. Gutters can be blocked by many things like leaves, dirt, animal droppings and other sorts of natural debris. Gutters are used to maintain the flow of running water and with blocked gutters, there is no way for the melted snow and running water to go. The sitting water causes serious structural damage to occur, like destroyed shingles, wood rot and mold growth.

Check The Sump Pump

When the winter snow melt’s, it will start to surround your homes foundation. A functional sump pump is necessary and essential to eliminate the excess water. The main purpose of a sump pump is to pump and send water away from the house, to a place where it can cause less problems — usually a city storm drain or a dry well.

Keep Up On Water Heater Maintenance

“Most homeowners should flush their water heaters every six months or so, but if you have extremely hard water, you may want to do it more often.” Not keeping up on your water heater maintenance can result in significant water damage. Leaks from a water heater is one of the most common water damage homeowners could face at least once in their life.

Tend To Small Leaks

Even a small leak can lead you to a big problem. Pay attention to possible warning signs that you could have water damage. A few things you can look out for is mildew/musty smell, discolored walls and bubbling paint. If you suspect you have water damage, contact UWRG of Colorado Springs for a free visual assessment! 719.418.2271

Resources

https://blog.directenergy.com/how-to-flush-a-water-heater/

https://www.servicemasterbycomplete.com/prevent-winter-flooding-in-your-home/