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Open door with water on one side and wet carpet on the other

5 Ways to Make Sure Your House Stays Dry This Spring

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Open door with water on one side and wet carpet on the other

If you’re like most people in the Midwest, you’re concerned about flooding when all this snow melts. How can you tell if your house will have water problems? What are some strategies to prevent water from getting inside your home?

Spring rain, melting snow, and drains clogged by ice, snow, and debris can easily cause waters to rise around and near your house. A few inches of water inside your home can cause thousands of dollars of damage. Here’s what you can do to help keep your basement dry this spring.

1. Move the snow away from your house

In our office this morning, we discussed seeing neighbors snow blowing right around their houses to get the snow away from their foundation. The more snow and water near your home, the more likely you are to have problems.

2. Check gutters and downspouts

Make sure your downspouts are attached and point at least 3-4 feet away from your home. Gutters should be free of debris and ice in order to let water flow to the downspouts and away from your house.

3. Check your sump pumps

When was the last time you tested your sump pumps to make sure they work? Do they have battery back-ups if you were to lose power? If your sump pumps are typically active, you might consider getting a generator in case of power outages.

4. Check your septic tank

If it’s been a while since you had your septic system emptied, there could be trash, grease, or other items that could cause problems with heavy rains or melting snow. If your septic tank is old, you should think about replacing it before it fails.

5. Get a monitored water sensor

Water sensors are designed to alert you to potential water issues, such as a failing sump pump, drain back-up, or sewer back-up before expensive damage happens. Water sensors have 2 or 4 metal pins that trigger an alarm when water is detected across 2 of the pins. They can be used with sump pumps or floor drains.


If you have a security system, it’s very inexpensive to add a water sensor to it. If you don’t have a security system, contact us today to schedule a free security analysis. Security systems are cheaper than you think! And with an average flood claim around $34,000 (according to FEMA), it’s well worth the investment.