How Do You Keep Your Home Safe from Water Damage in Chicago?

Though winter in Chicago is knocking at the doors, it’s obvious to experience freezing temperatures and snow accumulation. They can cause serious water damage to your home. However, water can enter your home in different ways and end up damaging the foundation. So you may need a specialist for water damage restoration in Chicago. Even, you can take help from professionals for water damage restoration Chicago. But prevention is better than cure. Hence, you should fight back against the water intrusion and take preventive measures both on the interior as well as exterior part of your home. Here are some of the simple tips to safeguard the exterior part of your home from water:

Check the Roof Condition –

  • You need to inspect the roof condition regularly to make sure the tiles, flashings, and shingles are not missing, broken, cracked, or damaged.
  • You have to make sure the chimneys, flues, vents, and evaporative cools are perfectly installed and are in top shape.
  • You need to look for the leaks around the rooftop air conditioning units for exhaust or plumbing or other special equipment.
  • You are required to cut tree limbs, hanging above the roof so that they don’t cling to shingles and trap moistures.

Check the Downspouts and Gutter Condition –

  • When it comes to prevent your home from water damage, you should make sure the gutter and downspouts are clean without any debris and in top condition for the free flow of water.
  • You can even consider installing metal screens to prevent twigs, leaves or other debris from clogging the gutters and drainage holes.
  • You are required to keep the downspouts water at least five feet away from the foundation of your home. If required, install downspout extensions.

Check the Door and Window Condition –

  • You need to look for leaks near the corners of the windows and doors at your home. The most common signs of leaks include peeling, discoloration paint, etc.
  • You are required to protect the exterior windows and doors from the glare of sun, rain, and snow by installing overhangs above them.
  • You should replace or repair the damaged flashing or weather-stripping around the windows.

Check the Exterior Wall Condition –

  • You have to check and repair the broken or cracked siding boards, bricks, stone or other masonry and structural sheathing.
  • You should seal the openings from wiring, plumbing, cable, heating, and air conditioning units using caulk or foam. You can repair any of the damaged or unpainted wood presents around these seal openings.
  • You need to check for the best possible signs of termite growth on the walls and the wooden structures around the foundation of your home. Termites can eat plaster, wood, and metal siding.
  • You have to make sure that the exhaust doors have been working properly.
  • You need to remove any shrubs and other landscaping features around the walls if you find any.
  • While doing irrigation in the garden, you shouldn’t direct water towards the home in order to prevent the accumulation of excessive water near the foundation area.

Conclusion – Keeping your home safe from water damage from both inside and outside is critical. If you follow these above-discussed steps, you can lessen the chance of flood inside your home due to the exterior part. Otherwise, consider taking help from professional technicians for Cleaning Service Chicago at ServiceMaster MB right now and we’ll be happy to help you out. For immediate availability of our specialists in water damage restoration in Chicago, please contact us online and one of our technicians will be on his way.