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Fire & Water - Cleanup & Restoration

How to prevent flooding in your home

5/20/2023 (Permalink)

As is the danger in every spring flooding is always a possibility as the snow melts and the spring showers roll around. Flooding is very dangerous for all homeowners if they are not properly equipped to handle the flooding. There are many different ways that you can handle flooding, but it is most important to know how to prevent it, and what actions you can take if you still experience flooding.

Preventative Measures

  • Apply coatings and sealants. A form of "dry flood-proofing," coatings and sealants that you apply to your foundation, walls, windows and doorways help prevent flood water from leaking into your house through cracks.
  • Raise your electrical outlets and switches. All outlets, switches, sockets and circuit breakers should be at least one foot above flood level to avoid significant electrical damage in the case of a flood.
  • Install check valves on your pipes. Make sure that all pipes entering your house have valves to prevent a flooded sewage system from backing up into your home. Gate valves are preferred over flap valves, since they provide a better seal against flood pressure.
  • Grade your lawn away from the house. If your lawn tilts toward your house, rainwater will pool around your home. Use a heavy soil that contains clay and sand to regrade your lawn so that surface runoff empties into an appropriate place, such as a street gutter.
  • Leave space between mulch and siding. Wet mulch can rot your house's siding, which in turn can lead to leaks. Keep space between your mulch and siding so that the base of your house can completely dry after rainstorms.
  • Point your downspouts away from your home. If your gutter runoff is not pointed away from your house in an appropriate direction, it can pool at the corners of your house and may eventually create leaks in your basement.

However these preventive steps are not full proof, and it is important to know how to handle flooding if it does occur.

How to Stop Flooding Once it Starts

  • Turn off the water line, if that is the source of the flooding.
  • Clear out gutters and drains so that water can flow freely.
  • Use sandbags to block any gaps that will lead to flooding.
  • Move rugs, furniture, electronics and other valuables to a higher floor of the home, or elevate them.
  • Shut off your electricity at the breaker panel, if flood water is close to reaching your electrical system.
  • If it's not raining, open windows to allow air flow through your home.
  • Turn on your sump pump or use a shop vacuum to remove water as quickly as possible.

These measures will help minimize the damage that the flooding can cause.

For any flooding and water damage Call SERVPRO of Southwest Waukesha County at (262) 542-0900

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