Spring Precautions for Water Damage Prevention: Battle Plan to Prevent Early Season Flood Damage

Your Gutters, Hose Bibs, Sprinklers or Swamp Coolers could be your worst enemies.  Keep Them in Check With These Easy Steps:

If you live in Salt Lake, you know March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb.  With such little snowfall this year, Spring is here.  You may already be on your way to starting up your sprinklers or reconnecting the hose to wash the winter muck from your vehicle. Spring rain and warm weather is just around the corner. Here are some important tips on what to look at to keep your home safe from water damage or flooding:

1. Gutters: Make sure rain gutters are free of debris. After a long winter your gutters can fill up with pine needles, leaves, dirt/mud from snow. When rain gutters are clogged and you get a big rain storm, all  the water rolls straight off your roof and down near your foundation and window wells. It’s a recipe for disaster and you may have a basement full of water.

2.  Sprinklers:  If you have automatic sprinklers, make sure you check them before turning the dial to automatic. After the winter freeze takes place and Spring thaw comes, many of the pipes are broken and sprinkler heads may malfunction. Don’t assume everything works perfectly.

3.  Hose Bib:  If you use your water tap that is connected to the outside of your house make sure you check it before turning it on full pressure. The hose bib can actually freeze during the winter and present itself in the Spring when you go to turn the water on. If you don’t have the water pressure you want when you turn it on there is a good chance all of the water is filling up your basement!

4.  Swamp Cooler or Evaporative Cooler: Check your evaporative cooler that is on top of your house. The water line that supplies moisture to your cooler is exposed to the elements 24/7 and often times that little hose/pipe can crack, split or break. Inspect before activating.

5. Plumbing: If you buy a new house make sure you have all of the plumbing and utilities checked by a professional. Don’t assume everything works the way it should.