One of the worst sights that can face any homeowner is a basement or ground floor full of water. Of course, you should have insurance to cover any issues and any damage caused. However, this won’t repair the emotional damage or replace any sentimental damage.
The good news is that there are plenty of things you can do to protect your home from water damage.
Clad It
Cladding is waterproof and adds insulation to your home. This is good news for any homeowner as it can reduce your energy bills. However, it is also a good deterrent to water ingress.
Old walls and badly maintained gutters can lead to water pouring down the side of your home and finding it’s way through the walls into your home. Over a surprisingly short space of time, this water can damage the timbers in your home, making them structurally unsafe.
Cladding prevents this from being an issue as the water can’t get into your walls. You’ll find there are many options when it comes to cladding your home but vinyl cladding is one of the easiest and cheapest to fit.
Clear Gutters
As already mentioned, overflowing gutters increases the amount of water going down your walls, which isn’t a good thing. You can reduce this issue by clearing your gutters and downpipes, ensuring the water can flow down them and away from your home.
Check For Leaks
Stains on the ceiling, walls, or even the floor are an indication that you have a leak. You’ll need to visually inspect all your pipes. If this doesn’t show an issue then turn off all water appliances in your house and note the meter reading. Wait half an hour and check the reading again, if it’s changed you have a water leak. It may be in the walls and you’ll need expert help to find it and then repair it.
Install a Pump
If you have a basement you can create a small pit in it and install a pump with a water sensor. This will operate if water starts to collect in the pit, which will be the lowest point of your home. The pump will need to direct the water away from your home and could make the difference between a flooded basement or not.
Clear The Ground
Trees and other vegetation near your home can help water ingress into your home through the foundations. In fact, tree roots can even damage your foundations. It’s time to clear these away from the edge of your home, ideally you should have a concrete edging to your home to prevent this type of issue.
Concrete around the edge of your home can also make it difficult for pests like termites to get into your home.
Be Vigilant
Taking these steps will help to protect your home from water damage but you should never be complacent. Check the inside and outside of your home on a regular basis, the sooner you spot an issue and fix it the less likely it is to become a serious problem.
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