Protect Your Home from Basement Flooding

Protect Your Home from Basement FloodingThere’s no guaranteed way to protect your home from basement flooding. One nasty storm or a burst pipe, and its game over. That’s where Project X Restoration in Denver comes in to save the day. Make us your first call if your basement floods, and we’ll respond no matter the day or time. Our experts will stop the water damage before it spreads and get your home or business back to its original condition.

To protect your home from basement flooding, there’s actually a great resource called the Handbook for Reducing Basement Flooding from the Institute of Catastrophic Loss Reduction. This complete guide gives suggestions on what you can do to be more knowledgeable, and of course, better prepared. Let’s take a look at a few highlights from the guide.

First and foremost, you should know what your insurance covers and if it’s adequate enough to cover a flooded basement. Talk to your insurance agent and make sure you have coverage for repairing water damage and sewage backups, as well as restoring your basement and replacing its contents.

How to Prevent Basement Flooding

While we all know that basements can flood, many of us don’t take the precautions necessary to reduce our risk. Here are six great ways to keep your basement dry or lessen the damage.

  1. Don’t Pour Oils, and Grease Down the Drain

Oils and grease should be thrown away. Don’t pour them down your drain because they can back up your pipes. They solidify when they cool and can cause a backup that could flood your basement.

  1. Clean Out Your Eaves and Downspouts

To protect your home from basement flooding, make sure you have good drainage from your roof. If you don’t clean your eaves and downspouts, clogs can cause water will fill up and spill over. In winter, pooled water may freeze, causing breaks and water to run down, which can collect at the foundation.

  1. Fill Cracks in Your Foundation

If the groundwater level around your home gets high, it may be able to get into foundation cracks and cause a leak. If you have cracks in your home’s foundation or walls, seal them up.

  1. Keep Catch Basins Clear of Debris

Storm sewer grates located on the street are responsible for storm runoff drainage to the storm sewer. These grates can get covered with debris and prevent water from draining, which can then cause or worsen flooding. Keep the debris away from the drainage grates.

  1. Check Your Sump Pump

A sump pump in your basement collects groundwater and pumps it away from the house. If you don’t have one, you should absolutely get one. If you do have a sump pump, make sure it’s sized properly, maintained, and has backup power.

  1. Be Careful of What’s in Your Basement

Since your basement is the most likely area in your home to be flooded, be careful of what you store on the floor. If you can, put your things in protective bins and up off the floor on shelves.

Also consider not putting expensive or sentimental items in the basement like TVs and other electronics, gaming equipment, pool tables, exercise equipment, heirlooms, and antiques.

Take Home Protection to the Next Level

There are several things that can be done around your home to make a flood less likely. While the scope of these projects might be beyond the abilities of a handy homeowner, they can certainly help protect your home from basement flooding. These are also great things to look for when buying a new home!

  • Foundation Drainage System – There are a variety of types, such as the French Drain, all of which direct water away from the home and its foundation.
  • Lot grading – Make sure the slope of your yard allows the water to flow away from your home.
  • Backfill – You should fill and grade any settled backfill areas close to your foundation so it will allow water to drain away from the home.
  • Fix Reverse-Slope Driveways – A reverse-slope driveway is one that goes downhill towards the home, rather than downhill toward the road. These driveways increase your chance of flooding. Think about changing your driveway slope.

 

We hope you find these suggestions to protect your home from basement flooding helpful. Of course, even if you take every precaution in the book, flooding may occur. That’s when you’ll be happy to know Project X Restoration in Denver. We’ll respond no matter the day or time. Our experts can mitigate damage and start the process of restoring your property right away.

What to Do if Your Pipes Burst or Freeze

What to Do if Your Pipes Burst or FreezeIf your home or business floods, you have to think fast. It’s better to know what to do if your pipes burst or freeze before it happens. The first step is to call Project X Restoration in Denver. We’re available 24/7 and will immediately dispatch a team to help stop the flooding, mitigate the damages and restore your property. Of course, the best thing you can do is to prepare your pipes so they don’t burst or freeze.

Prepare Your Pipes

As you probably already know, water in your pipes can freeze when the weather gets very cold. This creates powerful pressure on the pipes and can cause them to break. Here are some ways to prepare your pipes and prevent them from bursting.

  • Have your faucets repaired and replace the washers.
  • Leave access doors or hatches slightly open to allow warmer air to circulate in the spaces beneath the roof.
  • Wrap insulation around your water tank.
  • Wrap thick insulation around your pipes.
  • Make sure your outside hoses are disconnected and turned off at the inside water valve.

What to Do if Your Pipes Freeze

If you suspect frozen pipes in your home or business, first turn off the water supply in case they burst. You’ll also want to protect your possessions by moving them away from the area you’re investigating.  And be sure to cover the electrical box to prevent any water from getting to it.

Now, it’s time to try and locate the frozen section or sections of pipe by checking the flow of water from your faucets and toilets. If the flow is very low or non-existent, then you may have a frozen pipe nearby. Feel the pipe to find the frozen area and check for bulges.

Once you’ve located the frozen section of the pipe, use a hair dryer or hot water bottle to thaw out the pipe. Don’t use a blowtorch because you may do more damage than good. Don’t forget to open the faucets near the frozen pipe, so when it melts it has somewhere to go.

What to Do if Your Pipes Burst

If the worst happens and your pipes burst, you should know what to do because the quicker you respond the fewer damages you will suffer and the sooner you can begin to restore your home or business. Here’s your action list to respond to a flood from frozen and broken pipes.

  • You must turn off the water supply to avoid flooding. Everyone should know where the water turn off is at your home or business.
  • Open all the cold water faucets and flush the toilets to drain the system of as much water as possible to avoid flooding.
  • Turn off your heating system and drain the system by opening the hot water faucets.
  • If there are any electrical boxes near the busted pipes, make sure you shut them down the main electrical box.
  • If you can, scoop and remove excess water. Get out of the way if you see your ceilings bulging.
  • Call your insurance office’s emergency helpline. They can help you begin the claims process and instruct you on how to get payment for your repairs.
  • Take pictures and notes of the damage and the cause.
  • Get the leak professionally repaired, keeping copies of the receipts and what was done.

Get prepared for what to do if your pipes burst or freeze, but if the unthinkable happens, don’t hesitate to call our experts at Project X Restoration in Denver. Remember, we’re here for you 24/7 and will help you through the entire process of restoring your property.