Protecting Your House – How to Minimize Water Damage

Standing in front of Niagara Falls is an awe-inspiring experience. Water is a powerful force of nature. And this force of nature can cause tremendous damage to your home as we enter into spring. Water is one of the top causes of damage to homes, and repairs may be expensive.

This blog will outline ways you can minimize the amount of damage that water can make to your home and the valuables inside as the warmer weather starts melting the snow and the spring showers begin.

• Store Your Valuables – Protect your valuables by storing them in waterproof containers or bags and move them out of flood-prone areas in the home. Make sure there are no electrical cords laying on the ground. If there are appliances that are plugged in, be sure to unplug them and move them to a higher level of the home.
• Check your windows, air vents, skylights and chimney for any leaks. If you find leaks, be sure to repair them immediately. 
• Floor Drains – After looking at windows and other openings in the ceiling, check the floor drains and remove anything that could cause it to clog. Keep the area surrounding the floor drain clear. 
• Clear eavestroughs and downspouts of leaves and other debris
• Check your sump pump and follow proper maintenance suggestions
• Well Covers – Consider installing window well covers to keep window wells clear of pooling water and debris. As the winter weather subsides, you want to make sure that the snow and ice is far enough away from the edge of your home that it won’t melt, accumulate, and leak into your basement.
• Check the Roof – Checking the roof for snow, ice, and missing shingles is also a crucial part of preventing water damage to your home. If you have any missing shingles, replace and repair them as soon as possible.
• Review your insurance policy and consider adding additional coverage as your typical home insurance may not cover basement flooding or sewer backups. 

Between spring bringing spring showers, or a summer thunderstorm, water can cause serious damage to your home. Contact us at dbi Brokers today to have all your home insurance questions answered when it comes to water damage and let’s get you protected.