Exterior Home Maintenance Tips to Prevent Water Damage from Rainfall

4/1/2021 (Permalink)

Routine maintenance like clearing leaves from gutters can help prevent water damage to your home.

April showers bring May flowers...and for us Floridians, then come the heavy rains in summer and hurricane season! While you’re probably enjoying the sunny warmer weather and working on your yards, now is also the time to think about how you can prevent water damage to your home or business. 

We’ve provided water damage and storm damage emergency restoration services to the Gainesville/Alachua area for over 13 years, so we’ve seen many causes of water damage. Today’s tips focus on exterior home maintenance to prevent water damage from rainfall, because heavy rain is a part of living in our area of Florida during the summer. Your home is one of your largest investments and water damage can be very destructive, so following these tips for routine inspection and maintenance can help prevent costly water damage.

Clean Your Gutters and Check For Proper Drainage

Clean gutters will drain water off your roof and away from your home’s foundation. Make sure your gutters are clear and remove any leaves and other debris that may have accumulated over the winter. Check that water drains properly through your gutter and out the downspout.

The downspout should direct water away from your home. You can purchase an extension that attaches to the downspout so that rainwater will be directed farther away from your home. These are inexpensive and available at any hardware store.

Check Window Seals

This is another inexpensive project. Walk around the outside of your home and inspect the seals around your windows, because improperly sealed windows are another potential source of entry for moisture and rainwater to get into your home. Look for missing/cracked caulk on the outside. From inside the house, visible mold spots or crumbling/peeling walls next to the window can signal leakage in that area. 

Increase the Grade of Soil Closest to Your House

Fill in any holes or gaps in landscaping around the exterior where water can pool back towards the home. Replace the dirt with the highest level at the home and gently sloping down to the rest of the yard to promote drainage. 

Inspect Your Roof

Your roof is potentially a major point of entry for rain. Check for any loose or damaged shingles and replace them if necessary. Unlike the other projects mentioned, due to the risk involved, you may want to hire a professional roofer to handle this job every few years. 

What to Do If You Experience Leaking or Water Damage to your Home?

Even with proper maintenance, sometimes Florida’s heavy rains during thunderstorms or even hurricanes create leaks or flooding. If you suspect water damage or experience flooding, give us a call at SERVPRO Gainesville West/Alachua West right away. Not only do we want to help with water damage mitigation quickly, the sooner you address the water damage, the less likely you are to develop mold problems. We are available 24/7 at 352-374-6589!

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