5 Reliable Ways to Prevent Indoor Flooding
Your home is your safest haven and castle, and you might not have imagined it drowned in water enough to call it an indoor swimming pool. Homes have certain levels of flood risk. Even if you don’t live in a flood-prone region, you can still be a victim of house flooding no matter what type of house you live in.
While natural disasters and flash floods are the usual transgressors of a flood, certain aspects can cause indoor flooding, and we’ll discuss how to prevent that from happening. So let’s talk about a few guidelines for preventing indoor flooding.
How to Prevent Home Flooding
Floods can occur anywhere, and this doesn’t only apply to flood-prone regions. Whether you live in places where a flood isn’t common, you must be knowledgeable in preventing it or reducing its impacts to keep your home in its healthiest possible state when one strikes or seems likely to occur. Below are five simple tips for preventing or reducing indoor floods in your treasured home.
1. Install flood detection systems or water sensors
There are numerous choices for water sensors, detection systems, and alarms to alert you if there are leaks or water within your property. Complex detection systems can also be tied into your home security system or smart home to alert you of water before it becomes a significant disaster. Water sensors can help prevent unattended water damage and mold growth.
Some people only discover mold growth when it has already caused significant damage, partly due to the lack of water sensors. This is why they often employ companies that offer mold removal in Scarborough, ME.
2. Keep your gutters clean
Clogged downspouts and rain gutters can cause water pools, so making gutter maintenance a part of your fall and spring routines can improve your flood protection. Add leaf guards and routinely remove leaves from the gutter to prevent debris buildup. Consider adding downspout extenders for additional security against water pools. Ensure it directs water away from your home for at least 10 feet away.
3. Never postpone repairing leaks
Dripping roofs and pipelines can let water into your house and cause significant water damage when overlooked. Watch for pooling water in your basement and see if there are wet areas on the ceiling. Frequently examine your pipes and look for problems like buckling, visible drops of water, and rust. Should you discover leakages in the mentioned areas, address them immediately.
Otherwise, you’ll need to employ restoration companies like PuroClean of Portland when these cause significant water damage.
4. Elevate service equipment and utilities
Elevating essential utilities and service equipment can prevent electrocution and home damage during a flood. Professionals advise raising switches, sockets, and electrical outlets at least one to two feet above the estimated flood elevation in your property. Doing so will make sure your electrics are safe, and it will be one less problem and cost to stress about once the water is gone.
5. Raise your home on piers or stilts
While raising a home on stilts can be costly to build retroactively, it will enhance a house’s flood protection. An inch of flood water can already bring substantial damage, so raising your home above the flood level will substantially protect it.