Flood damage can happen at any time, and virtually any place, particularly in low-lying areas of your home. In order to avoid having to hire a water damage repair company in Saratoga Springs, NY, it pays to know why things flood and what can be done about them. The following is all you need to know about basement flooding.
What Causes Flooding
Major snow storms and ice can lead to drainage backups. Sub-zero temperatures can lead to burst pipes. Spring rain can lead to flooding by seepage from saturated earth. Storms, all year long, can lead to rivers and lakes flooding as well as excess rain seeping into basements. There are literally dozens of different scenarios that can lead to flooding and the need for water damage repair and the majority of them may include at least sectional flooding of your basement.
Why Your Basement Floods
This is simple. Water seeks the lowest area in which to flow. Your basement is the lowest part of your home. That means it is surrounded by water sources, from external sources like rivers or lakes to earth that can become saturated to drainage issues to flooding in your home that permeates through to your basement. All that can create an acute need for water damage restoration and none of that includes situational flooding as can happen during severe or major storms.
What is the Harm
Apart from things in your basement being destroyed, flooding can cost you tens of thousands of dollars in damage to your home. It is estimated that 1” of water in your basement can cause $10,000 worth of damage; imagine what enough water to submerge your furnace and other equipment would cost. In the case of a full basement flood, the very structure and foundation of your home can be ruined. Additionally, flooding can destroy building materials and personal content unless you use a water damage restoration company.
Prevention Strategies
One of the first steps is to document in your basement where flooding likely has occurred in the past, particularly if you have not been in your home for many years. Flooding occasionally will leave a watermark, but you also can tell if there has been flooding by whether any of the equipment (like a furnace) exhibits rust on the bottom or is upon any type of elevating device like a wooden pallet. Once you have determined that your basement has flooded, the next step is to take measures to determine if it is inevitable flooding (like seepage or saturation) and not preventable flooding.
You can do that by inspecting any windows and vents and making sure they are adequately sealed. You can also fix any cracks in the walls or floor of your basement, both which could indicate flooding. Inspecting the ceiling of your basement for water damage also can help you figure out if incidental flooding occurred and why. You may want to consider hiring a flood prevention expert to waterproof your basement and foundation.
Occasional flooding is a fact of life for much of the country. Even a home that has never experienced flooding can do so if a pipe bursts, for example. The only way to avoid needing a water damage repair company in Saratoga Springs, NY, is to take precautions before flooding becomes an issue. Check out more tips for avoiding flooding by contacting the team at Certified Water, Smoke & Fire!