Prepare Your Home Now for Upcoming Storms

7/14/2022 (Permalink)

It’s no secret that with the monsoon season comes damage to some Phoenix homes. High winds tear off shingles, lightning can strike nearby trees, and dust can leave a coating of dirt everywhere. One of the more common damage challenges is water-related, as monsoons can dump a significant amount of water if very little time. While you can’t stop the rain, you can prepare your home to avoid or minimize damage.

Of the many issues that can cause flooding in your home or attic, an often-overlooked item is a clogged gutter system. This critical network of water diversion works to send runoff from your roof to areas away from your house's vulnerable foundation but can often get filled with leaves and other debris. When this system fails or does not work as it should, the results could be serious. Learn how to keep your gutters clean and what to do if you experience flooding.

Keep gutters clean

Of the many issues that can cause flooding in your home or attic, an often-overlooked item is a clogged gutter system. This critical network of water diversion works to send runoff from your roof to areas away from your house's vulnerable foundation but can often get filled with leaves and other debris. When this system fails or does not work as it should, the results could be serious.

The gutters surrounding the eaves of your home exist to help prevent flood damage from occurring. Unfortunately, many homeowners do not even know they have a water channeling problem in their gutters until it is full and causing a water backflow or overflow situation to arise. Gutters need to be cleaned at least twice a year – in the spring and in the fall when you’re most likely to experience leaves or needs dropping and clogging up drains. If you have pine trees near your home, needles need to be removed every three months to reduce the potential for clogging the gutters and downspouts. There are actually a few simple steps to prevent this from happening, so you don’t experience a flood in your home. Simply getting up on the roof near your gutters and manually cleaning out the blockage is a good start. Many homeowners use a power spray or hose with a narrow nozzle to get the blockage you’re unable to get by hand. There are also services that will come out and keep your gutters clean if you prefer not to do it or shouldn’t for safety reasons.

Keep your roof in good condition

The Arizona sun is tough on your roof. The intense, prolonged heat can dry things out, and monsoon winds can loosen tiles as well. It’s important to keep an eye on your roof and focus on any areas of weakness where water may come through. Whether you go up on the roof yourself to inspect or hire a professional to do it, it’s a smart idea to give your roof the once-over at least once a year to prevent water damage from a leaky roof. Depending on what your roof is made of a simple repair could do the trick, or you may need more substantial work. It’s always a good idea to get a professional opinion to ensure your roof is OK. Even the smallest water seepage can cause damage, including mold.

Keep good drainage surrounding your home

Some monsoon seasons are more damaging than others. Before you experience a heavy rainstorm, walk around your home to make sure you have good drainage all around your home. If you find water puddling next to your foundation or see the water moving toward your home instead of away, it’s important to fix this so that water doesn’t seep in and cause damage to your home. Water should drain away from your home, not towards it! Not addressing this problem can cause issues eventually, so if you spot it, handle it early, well before the storms arrive.

What do if you experience water damage

When you find monsoon stormwater making its way into your house, it’s time to call in professionals who can handle this situation as effectively as possible. From the moment that our SERVPRO team arrives at your home, we work to assess what needs to happen to prevent water from continuing to enter your home and allow for extraction and drying to occur successfully. Depending on the severity of the flooding inside of your home, our SERVPRO technicians might need to use portable pumps to remove the water. Larger quantities of water may require the use of a pump truck. Once the water is removed, we’ll dry the premises and work with any water-damaged items to restore or remove the materials. If clogged gutters, a leaky roof, or poor drainage cause flooding to your home, reach out to our experienced SERVPRO of Phoenix team of restoration specialists. We can help you remove the water and restore your home to pre-storm condition. Give us a call anytime, 24/7, at (480) 503-2090.