After escaping the touted "Henri" and feeling the effects/brunt of "Ida" in the last few weeks, it is important to remember we are still in the midst of hurricane season! While sellers are obligated to disclose known flooding issues, recent storms have brought unusual, significant rainfalls surprising some buyers with water seeping into the basement and worse.
Living by the coast in Fairfield County is delightful but it does come at a cost. When is flood insurance required/recommended and just what exactly does it cover? To answer these questions we turn to the experts, our friends at Daigle & Travers. The answers may surprise you! Read more.
Here are some practical tips to help keep your basement from taking in water:
Keep gutters clean. They divert water. Install grids to prevent debris build-up.
Install downspout extensions to further divert water runoff away from the house.
Seal your basement. Even small cracks and holes pose a leak threat.
Elevation always helps: re-grade the exterior land to encourage water to flow away from the home.
Remove big plants/trees too close to the house as their roots may crack your basement.
Install a backwater valve that closes off drains to municipal sewer lines.
Install French drains that absorb and divert water.
Install a sump pump with a battery backup.
Prevention is almost ALWAYS cheaper than the cure.
And some plumbing tips to help prevent leaks, clogs, back-ups and other not-so-nice plumbing events. The home inspectors at Pillar to Post Inspections highlight these items, especially for first time homeowners:
Everyone in the household should know where the main water shutoff valve is and it should be kept accessible. A new ball valve (lever style handle) can be installed by a plumber so that it is easy to shut off the water to the house if there is an emergency.
By November 1st, turn off the valve to exterior hose faucets. Or, have your plumber retro-fit "frost free" valves and you'll never have to remember to do this again.
NEVER flush "flushable" personal wipes or sanitizing wipes as they will clog your pipes. They do not dissolve in a septic system or at the municipal waste treatment plant like toilet paper does and cause huge clogs instead.
Avoid using chemical drain cleaners. They are caustic and can damage drain pipes, causing bigger problems than the clog you started with. Snaking the drain is a better solution - keep a plumbing snake on hand or have a plumber do this for you.
Do not put any kind of grease or cooking oils down the kitchen sink - even if you have a dispose-all. These will just solidify as they travel through the pipes and can cause serious clogs further down the line. Instead, pour grease into a paper cup or other disposable container and throw it away. Better yet, put it in your food scrap recycling bin!
Don't use moisturizers in the shower that wash down the drain for the same reason. Basically, they are grease and will clog your drains and pipes. Instead apply the moisturizer in the shower while you're still wet, but without the shower running.
Frozen pipes can burst and result in serious water damage to your home and belongings.
Protect pipes exposed to the cold (outdoor faucets, garages, crawlspaces, and unfinished/unheated basements) with foam pipe insulation. It's very easy to install.
When it comes to plumbing, an ounce of prevention truly is worth a gallon of cure!