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How proper landscaping can prevent water damage in your home
Water damage is going to affect most every home at some point, and while homeowners can spend great amounts of money trying to waterproof their property, all too often there is one significant element that is overlooked, one that can bring about much damage and plenty of headaches. That element is the landscaping surrounding your home.
How is landscaping important?
In the event of a severe storm or even prolonged rainfall, the ground can only absorb so much water. Once the ground has been saturated, any excess water is going to have to run somewhere. Since water prefers to flow downhill, anything that happens to lie in that general direction is going to get wet.
Water Damage Prevention Tips
With that in mind, you want to make sure that your landscaping is not going to do you any harm. Most homes are constructed with drainage in mind, but you should make sure that the landscaping slopes away from your home for a minimum of ten feet. That excess water should flow away from your home, not toward it. Drainage ditches should be clear and free of any obstructions; likewise for drainage vents or pipes that service your home.
Also, you should always inspect your gutters and downspouts, making sure they are in good working order and properly channel water down, out and away from your property. If they do not, buy the proper connections and reconfigure them so that they do. You’d be surprised at how much water damage could be averted by simply having fully functional gutters.
Further keep trees and shrubs properly trimmed back from your home. Shrubs and plants that grow up against your home can cause water to drain from the tree or plant to run down the side of your house, causing wear and tear that will eventually turn into a serious leak. In addition, leaves can also fall and gather up, obstructing gutters, drains, or other water paths, resulting in unexpected flooding.
Tips for your Driveway
Driveways and patios cannot absorb any water at all by themselves. They first cause standing water, however, if the water becomes to massive, it needs to run off. A driveway that slopes toward your home could present a problem. Consider installing channel drains around these areas to properly handle any water buildup that may occur.
Channel drains are installed within the concrete itself, with access vents to catch the water before it presents a threat.
In some cases, grading your yard may be necessary to solve the problem.
Recommended Reading
7 Water Damage Prevention Tips
Devastating water damage can occur, whether you live in your home year round or stay in your vacation home seasonally. Damage might occur from a source you do not expect, such as an overflowing toilet or leaking washing machine.
In case damage occurs, First Response Disaster Team is here to help fast and professionally. If you are within 50 miles of Daytona Beach, we can be at your home within hours if disaster strikes.
Here are 7 tips to prevent water damage at your home by conducting routine checks
1. Plumbing
Visually inspect pipes annually for condensation, corrosion or obvious leaks and call a plumber at the first signs of rust-colored water or backed up toilets or sinks to prevent water damage.
2. Roof
Hire a professional to inspect your roof annually. Repair cracked or missing shingles, pooling water and flashing deterioration.
3. Washing Machine
Inspect the water supply hoses every six months for cracks, kinks or dry rot.
Consider replacing rubber hoses with stainless steel
4. Toilets
After flushing, remain close by until the fill valve has finished refilling the bowl.
Inspect the supply line, valve and flushing mechanism every six months.
5. Showers
Test the shower pan annually to see if it holds water properly when the floor drain is blocked.
6. Water Heater
Remove sediment by flushing the tank every six months.
Do hire a professional plumber to inspect the unit at least once every two years.
7. Sinks
Inspect the plumbing beneath sinks every six months and repair any corrosion and loose connections.
Put these safety measure in place and you will decrease the chances of an unexpected flood in your home drastically.
Do you have flood water in your home?
Water intrusion can wreak havoc to your house, the structure of your house, your personal effects and cause health risks. Large amounts of water or floods could cause major destruction of carpet, appliances, wallboards, furniture and more. In the case of severe flooding, ducts, air conditioners, roofing, sewage system, utilities can all be damaged at once.
Below are initial steps that need to be taken for emergency clean up:
- Remove the mud
- Use a shovel to remove as much mud from the house as possible, use a hose to spray or wash away the mad from surfaces.
- In the kitchen scrub surfaces with hot water detergents and a heavy duty cleaner
- Clean every surface with disinfectants to kill germs. Immerse cups, glasses, dishes, spoons, pots, pans and other utensils in a disinfecting solution of hot water containing chlorine bleach.
- Clothes, rugs, bedding and furniture should be taken out to dry as soon as possible. – Air conditioners and dehumidifiers should be used to remove moisture, windows should also be used to ventilate with outdoor air.
- Take items outdoor for brushing in cases where mold and mildews have developed as this will prevent pores from developing in the house. Upholstered furniture should be cleaned only by professionals.
If the water has gotten into the ceilings and walls, you need to call a professional emergency cleaning crew so wallboard, plasters and paneling can be removed as otherwise a permanent health hazard can occur if it was soaked by contaminated floodwater.
All electric systems must be shut off, repaired and inspected by a certified electrician before it can be used again, wirings even those ones that are behind walls must be dried out. A certified electrician will need to inspect and clean these systems and replace insulation where need be.
Your professional emergency service will further help to remove any soaked floor covering to allow the subflooring to dry up. Doors and windows should be open to allow the boards to receive air.
How to Find a Leak in a Roof
From “How to Fix Everything for Dummies”
How to find a leak in a roof may be the hardest part of fixing a leaky roof. Finding the actual spot where the roof leaks is difficult because water can enter the roof in one place and run down to another before it starts soaking into the ceiling.
You know the roof is bad if shingles are missing or obviously damaged, or when water stains the ceiling or walls. The goal is to find the leak before the entire roof goes bad.
IDENTIFYING THE TRUE LOCATION OF ROOF LEAKS IN THE ATTIC:
If you have an attic, the easiest way to spot the leak is to up there on a rainy day. Water will reflect light, so bring a flashlight along. Once you locate the source of the water, mark the area. On a nice day, have a helper tap on the mark while you’re on the roof. After you pinpoint the location on the exterior of the roof, apply roofing cement or new shingles as needed.
If you don’t have an attic or just can’t find the source of the leak, you can check several places for problems with moisture or damage:
Looking for roof leaks on the outside of your house.
If you don’t want to wait for rain to look for the leak, try bringing the garden hose up on the roof. Run the water over the place where you think the leak might be located. Don’t go crazy with the water; be sure to start small. Have a helper stationed in the attic with a flashlight looking for moisture. The water will reflect the light and make it easier to see.
Mold and Potential Health Issues
Mold can be hazardous to your health, especially for children, the elderly, and individuals who suffer from allergies, immune deficiencies, or respiratory problems such as asthma, sinus infections or lung disease.
For these people, exposure to molds can cause symptoms such as nasal stuffiness, eye irritation, coughing, wheezing, or skin irritation. Some people, such as those with serious allergies to molds, may have more severe reactions, such as fever and shortness of breath. Some people with chronic lung illnesses, such as obstructive lung disease, may develop mold infections in their lungs. Recent studies have suggested a potential link of early mold exposure to development of asthma in some children, particularly among children who may be genetically susceptible to asthma development.
If you or any loved ones have been exposed to mold and experience any of the above symptoms, see your medical professional and share the exposure to mold with them so they can accurately treat your medical condition. Contact a licensed Mold Remediator who will conduct a preliminary inspection and either identify the areas of mold contamination, or recommend you engage an Indoor Environmental Professional (IEP) to conduct an Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) test. To prevent further adverse health issues, follow their recommendations to complete the mold remediation project.