Water can enter through your home in many ways, once in, it could even damage your foundation. Water will always find the path of least resistance. To protect your home against water damage, take preventative measures on both your home’s interior and exterior. Here are important tips to keep the water out and protect your home from water damage.
The Roof
- Check your roof to ensure the shingles, flashings or tiles are not missing. Check for broken, cracked, curled or any other damage.
- Check the vents, flues, chimneys, air conditioners, and evaporative coolers and make sure are properly installed and in good condition.
- Check for leaks around rooftop air-conditioning units
- Check vents for exhaust or plumbing, or other specialized equipment.
- Cut tree limbs that extend above your roof so they don’t cling to shingles and trap moisture.
Doors and Windows
- Check for leaks near the corners of your doors and windows. Signs of leaks include peeling paint, paint discoloration or swollen frame.
- Protect exterior doors and windows from the sun, rain, and snow by installing overhangs above them.
- Close your doors and windows to check for a tight fit. Look for cracks between the sash and frame of your windows.
- Repair or replace damaged flashing or weather-stripping around windows.
Gutters and Downspouts
- Ensure these are clean, free from debris, and in good condition so that water can flow freely.
- Install metal screens to prevent leaves, twigs, silt and other debris from clogging the gutters and drainage holes.
- Ensure downspouts direct water at least five feet away from your home’s foundation. Install downspout extensions if needed.
Walls
- Check and repair cracked or broken siding boards, bricks, stone or other masonry, as well as structural sheathing.
- Seal any openings from wiring, plumbing, phone, cable, and heating and air conditioning lines with foam or caulk. Repair any damaged or unpainted wood surrounding these openings.
- Check for signs of termite activity on the walls and the wooden structures around your foundation. Termites can eat wood, plaster, and even metal siding.
- Ensure that the exhaust vent doors properly open and close.
- Remove any shrubs and other landscaping features from along the walls.
- When irrigating the garden, avoid directing water towards the house to prevent excessive water near the foundation.
Water damage can happen from:
- Rain
- Snow and ice
- Burst pipes
- Frozen pipes
- Toilet overflows
- Sump pump failures
- Sewer lines
Water damage is also one of the most expensive repairs for a residential or commercial property owner. Keeping your home safe from interior or exterior water damage will save you money an extend your home’ value.
About Community Public Adjusters
Community Public Adjusters specializes in homeowners and business insurance claim representation. Our public adjusters and property loss consultants work diligently to make sure you get the maximum possible settlement from the insurance company regarding your insurance claim.
We offer claim representation services on a contingency basis, if we do not collect any funds for you, we do not get paid at all. Community Public Adjusters has expert knowledge on how the insurance claim process works. We work with you on every step of the claims process.
We represent home and business owners and have vast experience with the following types of claims
- Fire and smoke damage claims
- Water damage claims
- Flood damage claims
- Theft and vandalism damage claims
- Snow and ice damage claims
- Building collapse claims
- Wind and hail damage claims
- Catastrophic damage claims
- Roof leaks
- Blown off shingles & siding
- All plumbing leaks
- Toilet overflow
- Burst Pipes
- Frozen Pipes