Snow Melt & Heavy Rains Can Lead to Water Damage in your Beacon Home

2/26/2021 (Permalink)

Heavy rain and melting snow can lead to significant interior water damage!

Typically, when you think of water damage, you might picture a toilet, a sink or tub overflowing or maybe a burst pipe spraying water everywhere. However, many times, water damage can happen without you even knowing, such as in the event of heavy rain or snow melting.

When rain falls hard enough and there’s a lot of snow melting (especially after thawing and refreezing over and over), the heaviness will really soak everything in sight and, can unearth problems you weren’t aware of being issues in your home.

Water Can Seep in Through the Smallest Openings

When it rains enough for things to get continually soaked, miniature cracks, splits, holes and openings in your home’s exterior can begin to let water through and start leading to problems. These issues can be on your roof, around windows and doors, and even ground water seeping through foundation walls.

Consider installing weather-stripping around doors and windows. This can be one of the best methods to help prevent water damage from a soaking rain as well as being an inexpensive way of keeping up with your home’s exterior paint to avoid any gaps or peeling that might allow water through.

Take a good look at your windows closely, both interior and exterior for small holes and feel around for any drafts. Be sure to seal them well or have them replaced if needed. Basements, crawl space and attic entrances, garage doors, mud room and porch doors and windows should all be examined for possible ways for water to get in.

Gutter Clogs Can Lead to Water Damage

Clogged gutters are a big cause of water damage. If a gutter is clogged with debris, branches, leaves, dirt and sometimes nesting, that can all cause water to back up and pool in concentrated areas, which can then be absorbed into your home’s roofline and lead to water getting inside walls and pooling on floors. This is especially true during extremely heavy rains, which can inundate even normally functioning systems with an overload of water.

Ice damming in the winter is another cause of damage. With large amounts of snow on the roof, usually stuck at the gutter line (icicles hanging are a good sign of that), excessive warming that might come from your attic can cause the built up ice and snow to push under the soffits and inside the walls. Cleaning out gutters every spring and fall is the best remedy for this plus keeping your attic at colder temperatures helps too. 

Improper Drainage Can Cause Foundation Damage

If the drainage around the base of your home is not adequate, serious water damage can happen as a result—especially during exceptionally wet periods. Making changes to your landscaping to help keep water far away from your home’s foundation can prevent water pooling in the basement as well as the potential for mold growth.

Some basements are prone to flooding from ground water, small foundation cracks and being so close to a water table. Sump pumps, dehumidifiers and special water repellent sealant can really help, depending on the cause of the water intrusion.

Heavy Rains Can Unearth Roof Leaks

You may not be aware you have a roof leak, but a good storm can be enough to turn a small, unnoticed leak into one has become a significant problem. Seeing wet spots, paint bubbles or discoloration on your home’s ceiling often only happens after heavy rains have increased a leak’s severity, creating a need for immediate repairs. Have your roof inspected by a professional at least once a year. Be sure to inspect your attic regularly too, sometimes small leaks can go unnoticed in there as well.

If your home has experienced water damage due to heavy rains, ice damming or for any cause at all, you can count on us to be there for you. Call us 24/7 to begin the water restoration process right away. The quicker the damage is remediated, the less the chances for costly structural problems or mold growth. Trust the local water damage restoration pros from SERVPRO of Western Dutchess County. Making it “Like it never even happened,” for 30 years.