The cost to remediate and restore a basement that has sustained water damage in the United States is $2,700. That does not even take into account the cost of water damage to your roof, wall, basement or other parts of your home in flood risk zones. If you’re living in a flood plain, be especially cautious, but water damage can be happened anywhere, at any time. If a serious threat is on its way to your area, what is the finest way to basement drain backing up / protect your home from damages triggered by water damage? By reading this article, you will be introduced to the answer!
Few things you need to know about water damage
Water comprises the principal cause of home damage, so it’s important to learn what can lead to it and exactly how to recognize the signs. Knowing when your house is likely going to become damaged and what you can do to guard against it are among the best things you can do to keep your house safe.
Reasons for Water Damage
The following is the list of the most common reasons of water damage:
- Extreme weather conditions, including floods.
- Valves that are leaking or broken.
- Damaged roof, such as missing shingles or cracked flashing.
- Appliances with mechanical defects, such as washing machines or dishwashers, may malfunction.
- Through cracks in your basement or foundation, groundwater can ooze in.
Signs of Water Damage
Keep an eye out for these indicators when you’re likely dealing with water damage.
- Peeling paint.
- Drywall and other wallpaper that has fallen up might indicate that a ceiling or wall’s condition has deteriorated.
- Warping floors.
- An intense smell or mold.
- After heavy rain, water will gather in your yard.
What to Do to Protect Your House / Basement Drain Backing Up
We provide our readers with exclusive access to a great secret. The best way to protect your house from water damage is to clean and maintain your house properly.
Roof Inspecting
If your roof is high up, it is consistently subjected to rain and a variety of other forms of weather. You must inspect your roof regularly in order to be certain it is in good shape. After you have sustained an enormous storm, you should inspect your roof for vulnerable shingles, even if you are still constructing it. If you get caught up in a storm, make sure you check out your roof for storm damages. If you do not have time to inspect it yourself and do not know anyone else who is willing, a pair of binoculars can aid you in determining the damage done more easily.
Gutters Cleaning
Clearing your gutters ensures that water flows properly away from your roof and foundation to prevent water from causing any potential water damage. You need your gutters to effectively direct water away from your roof and away from your building. For best results, you should do gutters cleaning at least twice per year. Most areas have the ideal weather for gutter maintenance in the winter, just after leaves begin to fall and after the first part of snow melts. To thoroughly clean your gutters, you will need to clean them doubly following a heavy storm, when the debris wound up on your roof is loaded in with them.
When cleaning your gutters, make sure the laterals won’t be clogged by debris. Check that winter ice has not damaged the gutters. Run water down the downspouts to determine where it’s discharging. The vertical downspouts then should direct the water a safe distance away from the foundation.
Seal and caulk the cracks
Using a window sealer prevents unexpected weather and precipitation from entering your home, where they shouldn’t be. You should caulk or seal various locations inside your home, including:
- Drains, faucets, and the other plumbing fixtures
- Bathtubs and sinks
- Ceiling fixtures
- Backsplashes
When choosing sealant or caulk, choose silicon that will be completely waterproof. Silicon isn’t susceptible to water and will not crack. If you try to use acrylic caulk, it will shrink over time, leading to a leak.
Pipes Checking
Inspect the plumbing inside your residence at least annually. Pipes and hoses can wear down through corrosion, cracking, and leaking, especially if they are subjected to prolonged exposure to water. Catching the problem early will help you save time and energy. Inspect every one of the hoses and hose connections that lead to appliances, like your refrigerator. Replace hose connections every five years or less.
If you live in a location where frozen water pipes are frequent, think about installing an emergency pressure relief valve in all your pipes. This allows your pipes to the point at which the water pressure created from freezing reduces and prevents a pipe burst. If you don’t already know, find out where your water main shut-off is located. You may find it difficult to stop water from continuously leaking, but you can mitigate the damage by taking the water main off at the soonest opportunity.
Basement Drain Backing Up
Take care of the Basement / Basement drain backing up
Check to see if your basement has the following items:
- Sealed walls and floor
- A sump pump
- A backwater valve
These three components must make a huge difference in the extent of floodwater damage you experience.
Should cracks in the basement floor or walls have begun to allow moisture or water to accumulate, you need to reseal. A paint-on sealant will re-waterproof those surfaces that need it.
A sump pump used in your basement will pump water that collects in the basin out of the space and to the bottom of your drain pipe. If your sump pump isn’t working, pools of water will gather in the basin and eventually flood your basement.
A backwater valve prevents the inflow of sewage into the device for discharge, yet this one-way valve may allow it to back up. As sewer backups are less frequent causes of water damage in the basement, they are more difficult to deal with and should be handled with care.
Understand Your Insurance Policy
Your home insurance policy will pay for both unexpected damages caused by natural mishaps and the ones caused by human error. Get in contact with your insurance company to learn what your coverage for damage costs and non-damage expenses depends on your policy.
The water damage that’s typically covered by your insurance policy is the result of water that comes down (rain, burst pipes). If you purchase sewer backup protection in your renters or homeowners policy, flood insurance will cover the water damage that typically occurs as a result of water that comes up (flooding).
Accept that Water Damage Happens
Maintaining your home well may prevent water damage, but maintenance isn’t always enough to stop it. The greatest possible prevention for water damage is preventative maintenance, but it can’t always prevent flooding. One of the most important thing you should do is perform a basement drain backing up.
Whenever flood damage occurs, make sure to contact the water damage restoration experts right away to clean up the impacted area and restore your home to normal.