5 Ways to Protect Your Home From Water Damage
It is estimated that homeowners spend in excess of $3,000 each year repairing the damage done by water. However, with proper planning and preparation, this cost can be completely avoided. As such, consider any of the following 5 tips for protecting your home from water damage.
1. Apply Step Flashing to the Roof
Upgrading the roof is a necessary step in making your home water-resistant. After all, the roof is one of the most common locations for leaks that can trickle into your home and create an entire trail of problems.
However, a new roof will not last long without the proper step flashing. If you are wondering what is step flashing roof, it is not the same type of liquid flashing applied to walls or windows. Step flashing for the roof is a piece of metal, bent at 90 degrees, that goes between the sidewall, dormer, or chimney. It is commonly made of aluminum, galvanized steel, or copper. Without step flashing, water can get under the roof shingles and rot the wood decking substructure, damage insulation, and leak through to drywall. As such, step flashing is a vital complementary repair when upgrading your roof.
2. Avoid Frozen Pipes and Ice Dams
Winter in the Chicago area results in a high incidence of frozen pipes and ice dams. Frozen pipes will cause cracks and leaks that become extremely damaging once thawing occurs, while ice dams cause a backup in gutters that leads to water leaking into the home.
To avoid both of these issues, it is important to contact professionals with the necessary tools and equipment to combat the ice. The Scottish Plumber has special steam-based systems for eliminating ice dams and pipe-thawing equipment that will prevent frozen pipes from bursting, ensuring that the cold of winter does not lead to water damage once thawing occurs.
3. Treat Your Siding
Siding is one area of the home that takes a lot of abuse from inclement weather and projectile impact. This can lead to cracks and fissures that allow moisture into the home.
When assessing the condition of your siding, look for large cracks and determine if the section needs to be replaced. If it appears manageable, try filling the gap with a silicone- or polyurethane-based sealant. Once all major breaches are accounted for, apply a moisture resistant exterior paint to fill in all small fissures and protect your siding from subsequent moisture damage.
4. Damp Proof the Foundation Walls
Protecting your foundation from water damage is essential, as any damage to below-grade areas of the home can be expensive–if not impossible–to repair (some figures show that water damage in the basement can cost up to $85,000 to remedy!). One of the most straightforward ways to protect your below-grade structures is by damp proofing your foundation walls. This typically involves spraying or rolling a water-resistant coating onto the surface. It helps prevent water from the soil from seeping into the foundation.
In some cases where there are large amounts of hydrostatic pressure, damp proofing the foundation may not be enough. More comprehensive waterproofing systems will be required. This involves adding a water-permeable membrane to the foundation walls that directs water down to a drainage mat or board. From there, the water is sent to underground pipes and drained away from the home’s foundation.
5. Add Drainage to Your Exterior Areas
There are several areas of your exterior that need proper landscape drains to prevent water damage.
First, all lawns and landscaping need to be sloped slightly away from your home so that water does not flow toward the building. In addition, ensure that the ground is properly aerated so that the soil can more easily absorb water and prevent situations of powerful runoff.
Next, make sure that the driveway has a good drainage system in place. Concrete driveways should be built with a slot drain to prevent water from glossing over the top and eroding the surrounding landscape. However, it is still possible for water to wash away the substrate of a concrete driveway, causing the surface to crack and buckle. Therefore, the best driveways for areas of high precipitation are gravel driveways that are held in place with permeable paver grids.
Finally, make sure that the pool and patio area of your home is equipped with a trench or grate drain to prevent standing water from building up and causing cracking or discoloration.
Stay Ahead of Water Damage With These 5 Tips
Water damage causes homeowners a sizable chunk of money every year. Fortunately, with the proper planning and execution, this can be rendered a completely unnecessary expense. With this in mind, applying step flashing to the roof, preventing frozen pipes and ice dams, treating your siding, damp proofing the foundation walls, and adding drainage to your exterior areas are 5 of the best ways to protect your home from water damage.
Todd Gillman is the content director for the Innovative Building Materials blog and a content writer for the building materials industry. He is focused on helping fellow homeowners, contractors, and architects discover materials and methods of construction that save money, improve energy efficiency, and increase property value.
