Spring Showers: How to Protect Your Home from Costly Water Damage
As spring approaches and rainfall increases, homeowners face a higher risk of water damage to their properties. As Missouri public adjusters, we frequently see preventable water damage claims that could have been avoided with proper preparation. Here's your comprehensive guide to protecting your home from rain damage this spring.
Inspect and Maintain Your Roof
Your roof is your home's first line of defense against water damage. Before the spring rains arrive, check for missing or damaged shingles and clear any debris from valleys and angles where roof sections meet. Inspect your home’s flashing and weatherstripping, and replace any sections that are damaged.
Keep Your Gutters Working Properly
Functioning gutters are crucial for directing water away from your home's foundation. Be sure to thoroughly clean your gutters before spring arrives. Check the health of your gutters, as well, replacing any broken pieces. You should also make sure that your downspout extends at least 6 feet from your foundation. For added protection, you can also add a gutter guard to prevent debris buildup.
Protect Your Foundation
Water pooling around your foundation can lead to serious structural issues and basement flooding. Thankfully, you can take some steps to address this before it becomes a problem. To prevent water damage to your foundation, you should grade your landscape to slope away from the house, fill in any depressions near the foundation, and regularly check your basement windows and walls for any signs of leaks.
When looking at your foundation, keep in mind that most insurance policies do not cover damage that comes from groundwater. If you notice leaking in your basement walls or through windows in the basement, this may not be covered by your insurance.
Create a Maintenance Schedule
Prevention is always less expensive than repair. We recommend:
Monthly gutter checks during spring and again when leaves are falling in Autumn
Annual roof inspections (and after each hailstorm)
Regular testing of water detection devices like sump pumps (if your home has one)
What to Do If You Find Damage
If you discover water damage in your home, be sure to document the damage as thoroughly as possible and take immediate steps to prevent further damage. Then, give our team of professional public adjusters at Edwin Claude a call.
We’re Here to Help
By following these guidelines, you'll be better prepared to protect your home from spring rain damage. If you do experience water damage, our experts are here to help ensure you receive a fair settlement and a speedy resolution to any claim you may need to file. If you’ve experienced water damage and are thinking of filing an insurance claim or have already filed a claim, call our team at Edwin-Claude at 314-993-2266 for a free consultation and learn more about how we can get you the maximum settlement from your insurance company.
