Fall Maintenance For Water Damage Prevention

When winter weather hits Grand Island, it hits hard. Here at Yellow Van, we specialize in water damage restoration and we have seen how certain steps taken in the Fall can help safeguard your home from possible winter water damage. 

Grand Island Water Damage Restoration

We suggest doing the following this Fall so you won’t need to have an extensive need for water damage restoration in the winter.

1. Examine the entire exterior of your house and search for any locations that may be damaged. Look for any spots that require patching and repair before winter arrives since siding and foundation cracks, holes, and chips can allow water to leak into your property.
2. Check your roof to make sure it is in good shape, there are no parts missing or loose, and water is not accumulating there. Make sure your roof receives regular maintenance and is strengthened to resist the snow and ice that come with winter.
3. As windows and doors provide entryways into your home, it’s crucial to make any necessary repairs to the seals surrounding their frames before the arrival of the cold weather. To stop water, snow, and ice from dripping inside via cracks around windows and doors, apply caulk or weather stripping to cover the gaps.
4. Water can back up and spill onto your property and the area surrounding your foundation as a result of leaves and other debris accumulating in gutters and downspouts. Any time water gathers around the exterior of the house, it runs the risk of flooding the interior. Make sure that water can flow freely away from your home and is not obstructed by debris by cleaning out your gutters by removing any leaves or other buildup.
5. Shut off your sprinkler system and totally drain the water. Any water that is left standing in the pipes has the potential to freeze, leading to pipe bursts and leaks. It’s critical to get sprinkler pipes blown out prior to the arrival of freezing conditions since burst sprinkler pipes can result in significant flooding in the lawn and basement of your house.
6. During the winter, drain outside faucets and hoses before putting them away. The water will freeze in the pipe and destroy the hose if there is water trapped in your hose when the temperatures decrease. The avoidance of water damage is hampered by frozen pipes, so do not leave hoses attached to outside faucets during the winter. 
7. Insulate pipes that are exposed to outside walls of the house, located in unheated basements and attics, and any that may be susceptible to freezing in cold weather. Keeping pipes well-insulated will help keep the water inside of them from freezing, which can lead to major leaks and flooding since frozen pipes put more strain on the entire plumbing system in your home.

If your home is not prepped for the winter weather ahead, you could be left needing water damage restoration. The good news is Yellow Van is here 24/7, all year round to help when your home suffers from water damage.