Flooding can cause significant damage to your home and even make it uninhabitable in worst-case scenarios. Floods can lead to mold growth, wood rot and other types of water damage that can be costly to repair. Taking steps to prevent floods from occurring can protect your home from this kind of damage. Use these flood prevention tips to keep your house safe from serious water damage.
Cracks and other gaps in your foundation can easily let flood waters in. Closing them up helps protect your home from flooding. Check your foundation for any gaps, and seal them up with hydraulic cement or masonry caulk. You should also check your basement walls for gaps and cracks, and close these up using waterproofing materials.
Flooding doesn't always come from rain or outside water sources. Your home can also flood from the inside. If you have any floor drains in your basement or laundry room, make sure the surrounding areas are kept clear and free of clutter or debris. Otherwise, water can build up inside your home instead of going down these drains. You should also look into installing drain plugs and sewer backflow valves to prevent sewage from flooding your home.
Check for trouble spots where water tends to pool or collect when it rains. Water should be flowing away from your foundation rather than heading toward it or building up near it. Make changes to your landscaping to improve grading, such as filing up any sunken spots close to your foundation or digging channels that direct water away from your home. This helps prevent water from pooling close to your home.
Gutters and downspouts move water away from your home, which helps lower the risk of flooding. Clean your gutters and downspouts at least twice a year or more often if needed, such as after storms. Have your gutters and downspouts inspected to check for signs of damage that needs to be repaired.
Flood vents allow water to move through enclosed areas to stop water pressure from building up inside homes. This helps protect your walls and foundation from severe water damage during floods. Flood vents need to be kept clear to work properly.
Susan Shuxian Hu has been a dedicated realtor serving in Silicon Valley since 2010. With great passion, outstanding negotiation skills and due diligence, she has helped many buyers and sellers in their real estate needs. Living in West San Jose for more than 14 years, she has broad knowledge in Cupertino, West San Jose, Los Altos and Saratoga. She has enormous patience working with buyers and never tired of showing all possible properties that may fit client’s needs. Clients appreciate her best service to their satisfaction. She specialized in luxurious real estate purchase in Los Altos, Cupertino, Saratoga and Palo Alto. She also helped friend and past client’s referral working in San Francisco, Foster City and far reached Bay Area.
Susan Shuxian Hu was graduated in East China Normal University in Shanghai with bachelor and master degrees in Bio science. She came to US in 1989 and earned her Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics in Texas A&M University in 1996. After one year of postdoc in Southern Florida University in Tampa, she moved back to Orlando with her family and started working in Lucent Technologies. In 2002, Susan moved to California, Silicon Valley joined a start-up company. Since then she worked in high tech Corporation till 2009. Driven by her dream job pursuing, she found her passion working in sales by helping people in real estate after one year of education in De Anza business and real estate law study. Since then, she has been serving many people in Bay Area for their real estate needs.
With bilingual advantage, she has been actively working with Chinese immigrants as well as local engineers and residents. With rich high tech background and connection with Chinese community, Susan has served in luxurious real estate in last a couple of years.