Summer in South Carolina has begun, which means higher temperatures along with higher humidity. Summer also means strong storms in our area which can cause flooding and other water damage on your property and/or in your basement. But if you take the time to prepare for storms, you can protect your home against Mother Nature. Here are some summer weather storm-proofing tips from Kingsley Water Damage Services to protect your home from water damage and keep it dry when summer storms hit.
Inspect Your Gutters
Inspect your gutters and downspouts for clogs, structural failure, leaks, and sagging. They’re designed to capture and direct runoff, but if clogged or damaged they won’t move water away from your home effectively and can lead to standing water in your yard and even structural damage.
A 1,000 sq. ft. roof will shed about 620 gallons of water during a 1-inch rainfall. If this water swamps a clogged or damaged gutter system, all that water could end up next to your foundation, eroding it over time. Make sure leaves, sticks or other debris aren’t blocking the inlets of the downspouts and preventing water from flowing down them. Also, make certain your downspout extensions are discharging the water far from the foundation. If you don’t care to see downspout extensions laying across your yard, install underground downspout drainage lines with pop-up drainage emitters to keep water from gutters far from your home.
Protect Your Basement from Flooding
Did you know that South Carolina homes with basements have a high probability of experiencing water damage? Some 98% of homes with basements will eventually file at least one claim for water damage.
Basement water damage occurs during summer storms for several reasons:
- water flows towards your house and not away
- poor weatherproofing
- improper drainage system
- clogged gutters
- broken sump pump
For example, a year’s worth of debris and fallen leaves can clog window wells and below-grade drainage systems, so summertime is a suitable time to clean them out. Additionally, check that below-grade drains near stairs and doors are operating properly. Domed covers for drains will provide added protection against clogs by not letting trash cover them up.
Check Your Sump Pump
A sump pump is a draining device that keeps your basement dry from groundwater. It collects excess water from the foundation or rainfall and drains it outside of your home. If you have a sump pump, now is a good time to perform a maintenance check:
- Unplug the pump and examine it for rust or corrosion.
- Clean the pump inlet screen.
- Remove any debris.
- Reinstall the pump, plug it in, and pour five gallons of water into the sump to confirm that the float switch turns the pump on and off properly.
- Outside, check that the pump discharge pipe is not blocked by dirt or vegetation. Clear all debris so that it can function correctly.
- Consider adding a sump pump failure and water backup rider to your insurance coverage. You’ll pay a little more but you’ll have better protection which can bring real peace of mind when heavy rain starts to fall.
Sometimes No Matter What You Do…
Sometimes no matter how hard we try to keep it from happening, we will still experience water damage of some sort. Whether it’s from summer storms or another source, it can be overwhelming. So call South Carolina’s water damage experts at Kingsley Water Damage Services. Insurance agents and plumbers recommend us because we remove all traces of water damage from homes and businesses.