if you have a home with a basement, the chances are very good that it will flood at some point. Nearly 98% of homeowners with basements have floods at some point. Floods are the worst disaster for homeowners in the United States. They cost people $3 billion every year. That is from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). If you have seen basement leaks when it rains, you should worry and take care of them but there are other things you can do to make your home seriously.
The best thing you can do is keep your home above water. There are ways do that if you live in certain communities where stints are common. Water finds a way in to do damage to your home once they have reached the level of the floor. While engineers can make your home safer during a hurricane, once the water reaches a certain point, the dame done will be inevitable.
If you have any work done on your home, remember to use insured and licensed contractors to d that work for you. Check with local requirements for information about that and what your building requirements. You can find the exact flood water point from online maps or the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Raise your climate systems. Put your electrical systems such as your climate control systems, wiring, sockets and switches to a point above your floodwater point by about a foot.
Do the same thing with your furnace and water heater. Any indoor equipment should be put at that same location a foot above the floodwater line.
Move any outdoor equipment. If you have a generator, air conditioning unit or fuel tanks that are housed out doors, you need to move that up, too. Again, a foot above the flood line. If you have any unanchored fuel tanks, you should anchor them to keep them from breaking free during a storm.
Work on your water valves. When the city sewer line backs up, it can cause dangerous water to flow into your home. Installing a backflow valve on the inside or outside of your home. You can also look into gate valves. They are often better able to control water than check or flap valves but are a lot more complicated to install. You should install these on any pipes in your home.
Look at how water moves around in your home. You want water to drain away from the exterior of your home. Look at the slope or grading, this shows you how the water will move in your home. Do not wait until you notice basement leaks when it rains to check this. You can check when there is a rainstorm outside.If you have more water pooling, you can talk to officials in your city or town whose job is to manage water flow in the area.
You can opt for foundation sealing. This can prevent you seeing basement leaks when it rains. This is a good preventative measure you can take if you are concerned about your basement leaking.
Fix any leaks. If when you are doing a home inspection, you notice base cracks regardless of their size, you should have a foundation repair contractor come look at your home. They may be able to take steps to repair your foundation and prevent a major blood as a result.
Raise your home on to stilts. This is an expensive repair and costs more than $20,000 but if you can afford it, it is one way to prevent your home from flooding.
Make your basement “wet proof.” You do this by putting in foundation vents. These allow water to flow out of your home rather than get trapped inside. They also improve air flow and dry out your foundation. You need to add two vents to at least two walls.
Make sure any plants you have outside are at least two feet from the foundation. Plants are great but they leave you open to flooding.
You can also talk to your local foundation repair service about other steps you can take to protect your home from water damage. An inch of prevention is worth a pound of cure, tend to your basement before you see basement leaks when it rains.