April Showers Bring May Flowers

Learn how to protect your home or business from excessive rain pour.

For the first time in 19 years, California is officially drought-free. Poppies are blooming and the grass is looking greener every day. Yes, April showers certainly bring May flowers, but with rising water levels come risks of water damage to your home or business.

Most people think of a broken pipe when they picture water damage. But excessive rain is another contributing factor. Fortunately with natural disasters, we at Alert Disasters have some precautionary methods and techniques you can use to prevent damage.

To protect your residential or commercial residence from water damage, follow the steps below.

4 Steps to Prevent Your Property from Flooding

1. Inspect Your Roof

 

 

For the majority of the year, Bakersfield experiences little rain, but an enormous dose of vitamin D. During these warmer months, you may not realize any roof damage. But once a rainstorm charges through, you begin to notice water dripping into your home or business.

Before disaster strikes, inspect your roof from the ground up. Check for damage signs like sagging, aging, or missing tiles. Once you determine the problem, call a professional contractor to help you fix the roof.

FYI

Alert Disasters offer 24/7 emergency services and arrive at your door within 30 minutes. So if your roof is leaking or an unexpected pipe burst through your ceiling, they will restore your property?all handled by IICRC-certified pros.

 

2. Clean and Improve Gutters

 

Gutters are designed to collect water from the roof and funnel it away from your property’s foundation. After the fall and winter months, your gutters become full of leaves and debris which cause water blockages.

Take notice in any broken or leaking gutters. Make sure the downspout of the gutter faces away from the building and properly disperses the water from the foundation. You may need to spend a small amount to fix your property, but it will outweigh the financial and emotional costs if water damage occurs.

3. Examine Potential Risks Inside

 

 

Water creeps into your home or commercial building in unsuspected places. You can apply coatings and sealants to the foundation, windows, doorways, and walls to plug any cracks. These cracks can be difficult to see with the naked eye, but with close inspection, you can find potential risks.

If vulnerable spots are not proofed, your property is not only at risk of water damage, but also mold and mildew. So make sure to use effective tools and sealants to prevent water from invading.

 

4. Remodel Your Lawn

 

Although landscaping does not cause flooding, it can affect your property’s foundation and cause long-term water damage.

The ground surrounding your property should always slope away from the foundation. Determine the high and low points on your property, then use extra dirt to create slopes six inches high. This technique forces rain water to travel away from your residential or commercial building, rather than towards it.

Once you’ve carved a path for water to move away from the foundation, make sure your bushes and shrubs are planted at least two feet from the foundation and trees at least four feet away.

Alert Disasters helps home and business owners prepare for water disasters. If your roof needs repair, or if you are worried about mold and mildew, contact a professional water damage cleanup crew for help.