Melting Snow Presents Danger to Houses

  It may be hard to believe, but spring will be here soon! Sunny skies, rising temperatures, and fewer clothing layers are in your future. Unfortunately, warmer weather means melting snow, and melting snow means runoff water. Runoff water can be risky to your home's health, since it can get in any small crack or crevice in your home's foundation, walls, doors, or windows. The last place you want this runoff water is in your home’s basement, so follow these steps to help prevent water damage this spring:

1. Remove snow from the immediate area around your home

• If snow is piled up against your home’s outer walls, windows, foundation, or doors, you’ll want to remove it before it starts melting. Pay special attention to your driveway and garage, where plows may have piled up mounds of snow.

2. Make sure your sump pump is functional

• Your sump pump helps keep water out of your basement, and if snow melt starts to trickle in, you’ll definitely want it in working order. Also, make sure the discharge pipe is clear of obstruction and flows freely.

3. Inspect your gutters

• Clogged or improperly draining gutters may not be able to handle the additional snow melting from your roof. You also want to make sure your downspout leads the runoff at least 10 feet away from your home.

As if we needed another reason to dislike snow! While we may not have a huge amount of the stuff this season, the danger of water damage is still present. Any time you have snow melting brings the possibility of runoff water ruining various parts of your home. Luckily, if you follow these steps,  you can help yourself avoid a costly mitigation and dryout. For more info about home water damage, visit this page for the latest mitigation news.