If you’ve never experienced a flooded basement, consider yourself lucky. The damage a flood can do can be catastrophic- with water damage spreading from your flooring, your furniture, and potentially valuable family heirlooms. So how do you prevent your home from flooding? Heed these three tips from your friends at DeFazio Company, and never come home to a flooded basement again.
1. Maintain Gutters and Downspouts
During heavy rain, your gutters are your home’s first line of defense against flooding. When it rains in Cleveland, you want the rainwater to be directed as far away from your home as possible. A gutter and downspout system helps drain all of the roof water away from your home’s walls and foundation. The downspout drain should extend beyond the walls and direct the water to a storm sewer or catch basin.
2. Check for Leaks
While heavy rains are often the cause of basement flooding, they aren’t the only cause. Leaks are also among the top causes of basement flooding in Cleveland. Make it a habit to check your home’s pipes, vents, water heater, and walls at least once a year to make sure you don’t have hidden leaks wreaking havoc in your home. Also, make sure there are no gaps in windowpanes or cracks in cement walls that could be a flood risk. Leaks caught early are always much easier and less expensive to deal with.
3. Invest in a Drainage Solution
Sometimes the best way to avoid a flooded basement is by calling in a professional to install a drainage solution. At DeFazio, we begin by assessing whether to use a trench, catch basin, or similar apparatus, and then use it to gather the water. Next, we will stop the flow of water to the desired area (like your basement). Finally, we’ll divert the water to a storm sewer, ravine, or nearby creek, so it can no longer cause damage to your home.
Stop basement floods before they start by contacting the drainage experts at DeFazio Company. We have been offering landscape drainage solutions to the Cleveland area since 2007. Contact us today at (440) 652-6545 or request an estimate online.