Keep It Slick: Helping Your Home Handle Downpours

Featured Image Caption: Heavy Raindrops during Nighttime

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Every year, heavy rains cause flooding and water damage in homes across the country. To avoid costly repairs, it’s important to prepare your home for downpours before they happen. From sealing cracks and crevices to installing a sump pump, read on for our top tips on how to keep your home dry during heavy rains.

Check Your Gutters and Downspouts

One of the most important steps you can take when preparing for heavy rains is checking your gutters and downspouts for any blockages or clogs that could prevent water from draining properly. If your gutters are clogged with leaves, dirt, or other debris, the excess water will be unable to drain away from the house and could lead to roof damage or even flooding inside your home. Cleaning out your gutters regularly (at least twice a year) is an essential part of keeping them free-flowing—especially during periods of heavy rainfall.

Protect Your Roof and Siding

Your roof is one of the most vulnerable parts of your home when it comes to heavy rains. To minimize water damage, make sure that all gutters, flashing, and shingles are properly sealed. You can also look into protective coating for your roof from a company like Dura Guard Roofing. If you have any loose or missing shingles, replace them as soon as possible. Additionally, check your siding for any cracks or gaps that could allow moisture in—fill these with caulk or putty to keep the water out.

Seal Any Cracks and Crevices

Rain can easily find its way into your home if there are any cracks or crevices around windows, doors, pipes, or vents. Inspect these areas carefully and use caulk or weather stripping to seal off any openings where water might be able to enter. Additionally, check the foundation of your home for any visible cracks that may need to be filled in with concrete patching material. Taking care of these small details now will save you from larger headaches down the road.

Install a Sump Pump

If you live in an area prone to heavy storms, you should consider investing in a sump pump system for extra protection against flooding. A sump pump is installed at the lowest point in your basement and works by collecting excess groundwater through a pipe system that drains outside the house. Once activated by sensors due to rising water levels, a sump pump will start pumping out this water quickly before it has a chance to cause damage inside your home.

Plan Ahead for Emergencies

No matter how prepared you are, emergencies can still happen—especially if there are prolonged periods of heavy rain. Make sure you have basic emergency supplies on hand such as flashlights, batteries, a first aid kit, and a battery-powered or hand-crank radio. You should also know where your shut off valves are located in case you need to turn off the water quickly. And if flooding is possible in your area, make sure you have sandbags ready to go.

Heavy rains can cause major issues in homes if they aren’t prepared properly beforehand, but luckily there are steps you can take. By cleaning out gutters regularly, filling any cracks or crevices around windows/doors/pipes/vents with caulk/weather stripping, and installing a sump pump system if necessary, you can ensure that even if it pours outside, your home remains safe and dry indoors. Taking these precautions now will help protect you against future problems caused by heavy downpours.