Helpful tips to prepare for Spring run-off

It seems like Spring is coming very quickly this year, and you know what that means?  Snow melting very fast!  We want to share a few tips to help you be prepared for that Spring run-off, so you don't end up having a melt-down when you find a flooded basement or damaged, wet valuables.

Focus on prevention. Long before you're in a flooding situation, look around your property for ways to divert rain water away from your home. Important considerations are extending rain gutter down spouts away from your home and making sure the grade of your yard surfaces slope away from your home.  It is also helpful to make sure that you do not have leaves, garbage and debris blocking the downspouts, window wells, and drains.


Clean the rain gutters in the spring and after all the leaves have come down in the fall. Blocked gutters will cause all of the roof water to dump directly against your foundation, increasing the likelihood of basement flooding.

Walk around outside in your yard during a heavy rain storm. Watch to see if water is ponding next to your home and if surface water is being directed toward your home. If this is the case, seek a local landscaper or excavation contractor for advice on ways to regrade your yard so the surface water is directed away from your home.

Provide emergency power. Install an automatic emergency generator to provide electric service for essential circuits like your furnace or electric heat, well pump, refrigerator, septic tank pump and sump pump in the case when power is lost. Without emergency backup power, you may return home to unnecessary basement flooding, frozen water pipes and a flooded septic tank.

Install a sump pump. An automatic sump pump should help keep water leakage normal amounts of rainfall from building up in the basement. If you don't already have one, they can be installed even after your home is already built.   A contractor may need to be used to cut the concrete, provide the best location, and you may need to get a permit from your local city or county office. 

Check sump pump and drains regularly. Make a habit of checking your pump weekly to make sure, and it is running properly.  Check drains for clogs or blockages in the pipes and make sure that the water can run freely from the end. Roots can grow through pipes causing blockages.

  

These are just a few tips to help you keep a dry home.  

If you have any questions, Peterson Builders can help.
Check out our website www.petersonbuilders.com,
call (801) 745-3573 or email us at pbi@petersonbuilders.com