How To prevent damage after the heavy snowfall in winters

downspoutAfter the heavy snowfall in winters, snow starts melting in spring. This causes a rush of water to flow through the eavestroughs, downspout, and floor drains. To prevent any damage due to the heavy water flow, make sure that you clean eavestroughs in your home along with the downspouts. Apart from that, you should also regularly inspect the floor drain of your home for any leakage.

If you clean the roof drainage regularly, you can save your foundation from damage. To clean the eavestroughs, you can do the following:

  • Leaves and debris might be stuck in the eavestrough. Remove them using a small brush at least twice a year.
  • Inspect and set the pitch of the gutters. Ideally, it should be one-sixth of an inch for every foot. This makes sure that the water flows down properly.
  • Conduct a water test to find out if the water is standing anywhere.
  • Make sure there are no rusted areas in the eavestrough.
  • Use plastic or aluminum eavestroughs rather than galvanized steel ones.

Next, make sure that the downspout is in proper condition.

To clean downspout, you can follow the following:

  • Use a leaf strainer to stop the leaves from falling into the downspout. These strainers can be clamped onto the eavestrough itself.
  • Underground tilling is also used for draining out a downspout. Ensure that there is no backup where the downspout meets the ground. It should be properly cemented.
  • Ask a plumber to come over and use a sewer snake to clean the downspout.
  • If the downspout empties into a splash block, make sure it is large enough.
  • The splash block should be inclined away from the foundation.
  • Use plastic or aluminum downspouts rather than galvanized steel ones.

A floor drain is one of the most important parts in the home plumbing system. However, there are very few things you can do to clean it yourself:

  • Ensure there is no blockage.
  • Use a plunger to remove the easily visible debris.
  • Use rubber gloves to pull out the trash that you can.
  • Every time you take a bath or do the laundry, make sure you wipe off the standing water.
  • You can also pour half a cup of vinegar down the drain. Follow this up with about a quarter cup of white vinegar. Repeat this process about thrice each year.

These are just a few things you can do yourself. However, there is a lot more to be done if you want a long-term solution. Always hire a professional to inspect your plumbing. It will make sure that the eavestroughs and downspouts are cleaned well. Hire only renowned and professional contractors like us!