5 Easy Ways to Control and Recover from Home Water Damage

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5 Easy Ways to Control and Recover from Home Water Damage

Most leaky tubs leave more than just puddles of water on the floor. Even the tiniest amount of water damage can lead to mold growth, water contamination, structural issues, damaged wiring, odors, stains, and more if left ignored.

If you don’t want to rely on the luck of the draw, you can do something about it. The most effective strategy is to keep water out of the house to stop water damage. These suggestions will save you money in the long run, but they’ll also keep your home’s systems in working order for years to come, making your property more valuable.

Maintain Dryness Around the House’s Foundation

Your home’s foundation is vulnerable to water damage if you don’t keep it out of the water.

Proper drainage is the most cost-effective approach to keep water away from your home’s foundation and eliminate the need for costly water restoration.

Within ten feet of the foundation, the earth around your home should slope at least six inches away. If this isn’t the case, add dense soil (ideally clay soil) to create proper grading and keep moisture from building up beneath the foundation.

French drains surrounding the foundation of a home should be installed – A drain with perforations should be installed around the foundation to remove water. The drain should be covered in gravel and soil. Flowing water toward the foundation is an issue if the trench is not graded correctly.

Drain water from the basement using an outdoor drainage system like a footer drain or weeping tile (it would be best if the drain runs to a sump pump).

The Gutters and Downspouts Need to Be Properly Operated

Ascertain that the rain gutters are doing their job and directing water away from the house:

Clear the gutters of leaves and other debris to ensure that water has a clear path to the downspout. Water can cascade down the side of a home and into the ground near the foundation if gutters become clogged after heavy rainfall. Keep your gutters clear of leaves by installing a gutter screening.

Make sure that your downspouts are draining at least 10 feet from your house. As a precaution, consider extending your downspouts. If you find downspout extensions unappealing or inconvenient, view recessed downspout extensions or downspout extensions that can be hidden beneath the ground.

Maintain the Condition of Your Property

The best way to preventwater damage to your home and its foundation is to ensure that the entire structure is watertight and well-maintained.

Examine your home’s foundation walls for cracks and mortar joints that are decaying. Use caulk developed to repair brickwork to seal minor cracks and hydraulic cement to fill in more significant gaps if you find any. Alternatively, you can replenish the mortar.

Keep an eye on the roof to ensure there isn’t any water seeping through. Fix any broken or misplaced tiles before it’s too late.

At least once a year, look for any gaps, cracks, or holes in the gutters and downspouts and make repairs to any found.

Repair and replace damaged or rusted pipes and valves as needed, and keep them well-protected from the winter cold. Inspect the plumbing system regularly.

Check for water leaks behind sinks, under toilets and bathtubs, behind appliances, etc. – If you see any dark stains on the floor or ceiling where water is dripping from a pipe, immediately fix the leak.

Keep a close eye on the foundation for any pools of water. Remove the water from the puddles and cover the spaces with earth to avoid additional pools from forming close to the foundation.

Keep the soil around your home moist but not bare

The soil around your foundation can dry up and shrink during a drought. As the ground soaks up the water during the next major downpour, it will expand substantially, putting tremendous pressure on the foundation walls.

To avoid this, you should rinse the soil surrounding your home’s foundation regularly during a dry season to maintain it sufficiently moist to prevent shrinking.

A good rule of thumb is to avoid growing trees near your home, as they might suck up all the water in your soil and weaken the foundation.

Invest in a High-Quality Sump Pump

Basement flooding and foundation damage can be prevented by installing a sump pump on the basement floor.

A sump basin that collects rainwater or seepage from the ground is essential for optimal outcomes. For municipalities with sump pumps, when the water level reaches the sump pump’s threshold, the pump will activate and begin draining the water away. However, pumping the water out is preferable to letting it sit in the sewer system, where it could back up and flood your basement.

It’s recommended that you examine your sump pump regularly (especially during stormy seasons) to ensure it’s functioning correctly.

Having a well-maintained sump pump is your best line of defense against floodorwater damage.

Conclusion

Knowing how to drain water away from your home’s foundation correctly will save you a lot of time and money in the event of a flood. In other words, safeguard and maintain the stability of your home’s foundation at all times!

Read more: Top 10 Possible Causes Of Water Damage in your kitchen