How to Protect Your Home from Exterior Water Damage

Water damage is one of the most stressful things homeowners can face. Unfortunately, water damage can often be a hidden but serious problem that homeowners overlook until it becomes a costly, major repair.

Moisture can cause severe structural damage to your home, including wood rot, mold, and foundation cracks. If you are vigilant, you can catch it early to stop it from spreading. However, even small leaks that let rainwater into your house may need significant repairs to prevent moisture from spreading.

Water damage can be prevented by taking action before it happens. These are some steps on how to protect your home from water damage or how to prevent water from entering your home.

Waterproof your house exterior

Your house’s exterior is the first line of defense against flooding. Maintain the exterior to protect your home.

Keep Your Roof in Good Condition

It is essential to handle the water that runs down your roof correctly.
Your roof is there to keep water from entering your home. Neglecting your roof could cause a host of problems. The worst is water damage that could threaten the structure of your house. It’s common for roofs to last between 20 and 30 years. So if yours appears to be in good condition, you can assume it’s okay. Unfortunately, this is not always true.

Roof shingles can be damaged by weather, climate, or even trees nearby. Inspect your roof periodically to check for missing, damaged, or loose shingles. Replacing any missing or damaged shingles is an easy and affordable project that will extend the life of your roof.

Seal Windows and Doors

Water leakage is a common problem at windows and doors. Water can leak inside if the door and window frames are not sealed properly. Do not wait for a leak to occur. Ensure that your weatherstripping is in good condition and that the seals around doors and windows are in good shape.

Examine the exterior of your doors and windows. Insulating foam sealant can be used to fill any cracks between the frame of the house and the door. Apply a new layer of caulking to the area where the window meets your siding to prevent any other leaks. A fresh coat of paint on the window frames and doors can prevent moisture from reaching the wood.

Keep your home’s exterior looking good

Water entering through holes in exterior walls could cause signs of water damage to your home’s interior walls. In addition, water could be getting in through holes in your exterior walls and siding if they aren’t maintained.
Regularly inspect your exterior walls. You should inspect your siding for damage such as holes, wood decay, and warping. You may be able to repair the damaged siding if you catch it early enough.

Most exterior sidings, such as stucco, aluminum siding, and wood siding, must be painted to protect your home. Paint is more than an aesthetic addition. It seals and protects siding from rain, snow, and sleet.

Ensure Proper Drainage

While you can take steps to keep water out, waterproofing is not enough to protect your home against water damage. For example, your foundation may be at risk if water isn’t diverted away properly from its base. In addition, even the most effective waterproofing measures won’t stop standing water from accumulating around your home in areas with poor drainage. Gutter cleaning should be done at least two times per year, depending on the number of trees surrounding them. This will ensure rainwater flows freely.

It is crucial to ensure your gutters work correctly in order to protect your home from water damage. If your gutters are blocked with leaves or pine needles, your foundation could be at risk.

Clearing out your gutters is the first step. You may need to hire a professional if your gutters are too high for an extension ladder. However, this is an easy job that you can do yourself if you are able to reach them. Start near the downspout and use your hand or a gutter scoop to remove the muck. After clearing out any obstructions from your gutters, you can clean them with a pressure washer.

Check Your Downspouts

Water should be directed at least three feet from the exterior walls of homes by downspouts. Properly working gutters should send all rainwater out of the downspout. This will drain the water away from the home. Repair gutters and downspouts if necessary.

If the downspout isn’t extended far enough, it could be funneling water directly to a puddle below your house. The downspout should be at least 2 to 3 feet from your house. The length of your downspout extension will depend on the size of your home and the location of your neighboring properties. If you have a long downspout, but water is still collecting at your foundation, you might need to install drainage pipes. This DIY project is relatively easy and affordable.

Redirect Runoff

Your home should not be on a slope if it is surrounded by water. If your foundation isn’t receiving water, it could be a problem. This can lead to the foundation becoming vulnerable and its ground eroding over time.

A French drain can be an easy solution to runoff from your home. At its most basic form, a French drain is a trench made of gravel. It can be installed with or without a pipe. This solution can save you money on foundation repairs, with an average cost of $1000-1500.

Water damage doesn’t just happen when it rains. Your home’s exterior protection starts with fixing all sources of water that can leak inside. Ensure your roof, landscape, gutters, and exterior walls are in good condition to protect your home.

 

The SANI-TRED system can permanently eliminate the damage that can be caused by interior and exterior water damage. A permanent waterproofing solution eliminate cracking, mold, mildew and moisture with our proven DIY solution.

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