At Flood and Mold NJ, we’ve seen a lot of different cases of water and flood damage, ranging from entire homes being damaged to just a few select rooms. There’s many different ways flooding and water damage can happen in a property. Some of it is unavoidable, like in the case of severe storms, in other cases, water damage and even flooding can be entirely preventable. Right now, we’re going to tell you some useful tips that’ll keep water right where it belongs during any season.
Regularly Check Your Sump Pump
Sump Pumps are responsible for draining water that builds up in your foundation, such as the excess water that doesn’t make it through the primary drainage system of your property. If this pump breaks or loses power, it’s going to spell bad news for your property. You can test your sump pump by literally taking a bucket of water and dumping it into the draining area of the pump. If the valve pulls up and it drains out the water, you’re good to go. Another tip we can offer is to hook your sump up to a backup battery.
Keep Your Gutters Healthy
Gutters are one of the biggest perpetrators of water damage in a property. If a gutter is allowed to get congested with dirt, leaves and other obstructions, you’re going to have imperfect draining in severe storms, and that water is going to bleed right out of your clogged gutters and down the side of your property. This constant water-flow will slowly cause problems with the foundation and with the ground soil surrounding a property. During the summer, make sure the outlet to your gutters faces a solid 5-10 feet away from your property’s foundation, to help prevent this issue.
Gutters are especially an issue in the winter, when ice and snow melts and then re-freezes in gutters. When you have a bad enough freeze during the winter, it’s best to have your gutters checked. Water can get between your house’s structure and the gutter, and the freezing will slowly pry it open causing “ice damming.”
Get Your Property Inspected Yearly
If you see a problem arising in your home, don’t wait, get it addressed immediately! It will be cheaper to get it repaired right away than to wait and let it become a huge problem. If you want, you can have a professional visit your property once every year or two to check for water damage. We are experts at detecting water damage and risk areas in properties and will be more than happy to offer our consultation. There are many areas to consider—your windows, roof, basement, foundation, gutters and more. Let us come in and help you, especially if you think water damage or mold are causing problems at your property. Call us today for more information!