Prevent flood damage for your home - don't wait until the Spring thaw!

Spring is coming soon!

It may not feel like it right now to many, but Spring is just around the corner.  If you live in a flood prone area, you need to protect your home from water damage.  The Big Bags USA team typically provides communities and businesses with ideas on flood prevention with a portable flood barrier system, but we wanted to give you some great ideas for do it yourself projects that will help you protect your home from water damage.

We found a great resource from Weather.com that has ideas to protecting you home from wood rot, peeling paint, insect infestation, and a shorter life span of your roofing and siding.

Here are highlights of the article - click here to see the full version.



Investigate, identify and repair all leaks and cracks

The best way to prevent water damage from rainwater and snow melt is to ensure the exterior materials of your home are properly constructed and maintained. Use the following tips to identify and eliminate sources of water intrusion in your home.

Common places where water intrusion occurs

Windows and doors: Check for leaks around your windows and doors, especially near the corners. Check for peeling paint, which can be a sign of water getting into the wood. Inspect for discolorations in paint or caulking as well as swelling in windows, doorframes and surrounding materials.

Roof: Repair or replace shingles around any area that allows water to penetrate the roof sheathing. Leaks are particularly common around chimneys, plumbing vents and attic vents. To trace the source of a ceiling leak, measure its location from the nearest outside wall and then locate this point in the attic using a measuring tape. Keep in mind that the water may run along an attic floor, rafters, or truss for quite a distance before coming through the ceiling.

Foundation and exterior walls: Seal any cracks and holes in external walls, joints and foundations. Examine closely any locations where piping or wiring extends through the outside walls. Fill all cracks in these locations with sealant.



Plumbing: Check for leaking faucets, dripping or "sweating" pipes, clogged drains and faulty water drainage systems. Inspect washing machine hoses for bulges, cracks or wetness. Replace them every few years, or sooner if problems are found. Inspect the water heater for signs of rust or water on the floor.

Termite-damaged material: Check for termite damage in wood materials such as walls, beams or floors. Any wood exposed to the exterior can potentially lead to moisture intrusion or termite infestation.


Prevent water damage through good home maintenance

You can help prevent future leaks and water intrusion by regularly inspecting the following elements in your home:






Flashing: A thin metal strip typically found around doors, windows, thresholds, chimneys and roofs, flashing is designed to prevent water intrusion in spaces where two different building surfaces meet.

Vents: All vents -- including clothes dryer, gable, attic and exhaust vents -- should have hoods, exhaust to the exterior, be in good working order and have boots.

Attics: Check for holes, air leaks or bypasses from the house and make sure there is enough insulation to keep house heat from escaping. Air leaks and inadequate insulation can lead to ice damming. If ice dams collect around the lower edge of a roof, rain or melted snow can back up under the shingles and into the attic or the house. Check the bottom side of the roof sheathing and roof rafters or truss for water stains.

Basements: Make sure basement windows and doors have built-up barriers or flood shields. Inspect sump pumps to ensure they work properly. A battery backup system is recommended. The sump pump should discharge as far away from the house as possible.

Click here to see more on preventing water damage in your home - http://www.weather.com/safety/floods/preventing-water-damage-20120423

Big Bags USA can also help protect your home





Prevention of water damage is much less expensive and damaging than cleaning up after a major flooding incident.  Our systems are configurable to allow protection of any building.  If we can answer questions on how to contact your local community officials to ensure they have an adequate supply of our temporary flood barriers, give us a call or visit www.BigBagsUSA.com! 

Please let us know if we can help you in your flood preparation planning!


If you have an immediate need for our systems, or have any questions for us, please call at (573) 480-6699 or visit www.BigBagsUSA.com.


D.R.I.P.S.
Disaster Relief & Innovative
Protection Systems, LLC
(573) 480-6699

Let's Connect!

 

Location: Eldon, MO 65026, USA

Comments

  1. JR VitugJanuary 26, 2019 at 6:05 AM

    Great BLog!

    ReplyDelete
  2. JR VitugJanuary 26, 2019 at 7:07 AM

    Very informative! Over the longest time, I promise myself that I would research companies that could fix my house water damage. Truth is I didn’t have the time, then I stumbled on SuperDry which is a website that finally helped me find the best companies to restore my water damage!

    ReplyDelete

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