How to prevent flooding during the spring thaw

Yes, the sun is starting to make more appearances as we approach the beginning of spring. If you live in an area that still has a lot of snow, then there’s a chance your home is at risk of flooding during the spring thaw. 

Here are a few tips on how to prevent flooding:

Clear your eavestrough 

As the snow and freezing rain fell all through winter, dirt from your roof and other debris was likely caught in your eavestrough. There shouldn’t be too many leaves because they mostly fell before the snow started flying, but you can even have garbage from the streets that was caught in the wind and landed in your gutter. 

You should clear your eavestrough because as the snow on your roof starts to melt, the water will run down into the gutter, then out through the downspout, hopefully away from your home. If the gutter is blocked, the water will build up and could damage your roof and even leak into your home. While cleaning out your eavestrough, make sure your downspouts are redirecting water safely away from your home’s foundation. 

Check your foundation 

Do a thorough walk around your home and check for any cracks in your foundation. If you see any small cracks, fill them with concrete patch. It’s pretty simple to do this on your own, but if you notice any large cracks, then you should get a professional to come take a look.

If you don’t patch a small crack in your foundation, water from melting snow could leak into your basement, causing damage to the interior of your home and further damaging your foundation.

Move the snow 

You may need to do this before inspecting your home’s foundation. If there’s snow piled up against your home, the wise thing to do is to simply shovel it away. If you have any side doors or back doors, then make sure the snow is cleared so it doesn’t melt and leak into your home, causing damage to the door or door frame. 

Cover and clear window wells

You likely have a couple window wells. If you asked us before winter, we probably would’ve told you to cover them before the snow fell. It’s not too late though. You should clear any snow from the window well before it melts, and then cover the well to prevent any more water or rain from entering it. If you leave snow in your window well during the spring thaw, you could end up with a flooded basement or a damaged window frame.  

Inspect your sump pump

If you have a sump pump already, check it to make sure it’s working properly. If you don’t have one, consider getting one. It’s important to note that not all houses need sump pumps, so if you’re unsure about whether you need one or not, call a professional to do an inspection on your basement. If you live in an area prone to heavy rain or maybe at the bottom of a hill, then you should consider a sump pump. 

We hope these tips help keep your home water-free during the spring thaw!