It goes without saying that the basement is the part of your home or business that is most likely to be flooded. However, other parts of your home may still experience flooding due to burst pipes, a leaky roof, torrential rain, changes in the landscape, or improperly maintained heating or cooling units.
A flood can range from a few centimetresof water right up to several inches or more. If it’s enough that a good portion of the floor was covered, you will need professional cleaning services following basement flooding. As the top provider of flood cleanup, Flood Services Canada will visit your home to take care of the water and dry your floors and/or carpet.
When most people thinkofflooding in the home, they typically picture basement flooding due to a burst pipe. However, we tell our customers that flooding can occur anywhere in the home due to any number of factors, ranging from a fish tank breaking to a leaking waterbed to washing machine lines breaking—this is a particularly common cause of basement flooding.
If you’re dealing with a rodent infestation, they can chew through refrigeration lines, causing flooding. Alternatively, the automatic ice maker may develop a leak. But regardless of the reason, basement flooding is not the only cause of water damage in homes; windows with damaged seals can let water in, as can broken or damaged basement windows. With the heavy rain the Greater Toronto Area experienced this summer, we recommend making sure that your windows are sealed properly and in good condition.
We also recommend having your plumbing inspected regularly to prevent any possible basement flooding or water in other parts of your home, such as your bathroom or kitchen. Having your roof inspected and repaired regularly is another way to prevent water damage to your home; wet insulation needs to be removed, which can be a costly and time-consuming project.
A buildup of rainwater along the foundation of your home can cause basement flooding and damage to any furniture and appliances you have in your basement. If you find that water is building up along the side of your home following heavy rainfall, we recommend having it repaired immediately, since this can lead to basement flooding.
Water can back up if there are any changes to the landscape surrounding your home, leading to basement flooding. That’s why you should always make sure that water is flowing away from your home if the area around your house has been altered in any way.
If you have a fish tank that is over 10 gallons, we recommend keeping it away from the wall. And should the tankever break, call us immediately to clean up before water damage has a chance to set in.
If you follow these tips, you can greatly reduce the possibility of flooding in your home. However, if you experience a flood, regardless of the part of your home it occurs in, call Flood Services Canada for efficient basement flooding cleanup at an affordable price.
Source:
Colombo, J., “How Water Makes a Flood,” Gold Coast Flood Restorations web site, March 9, 2012; http://www.goldcoastflood.com/how-much-water-makes-a-flood/.