5 Tips for Protecting Your Property from Flood Damage

ROANOKE, Va., March 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern Trust Home Services, an HVAC, plumbing and electrical company that has served Southern Virginia for 25 years, shares advice with homeowners in the Roanoke area on avoiding potential property loss and damages from floods.

"The first step in protecting your home from flood damage is evaluating the risk of flooding in your area," said Ted Puzio, owner of Southern Trust Home Services. "Next, you must assess how well your property is constructed to withstand it. This assessment may result in carrying out various preparations and renovations. Some renovations will simply require free and easy maintenance, while others will be more of a financial investment, but following best practices in flood protection can save you from paying thousands of dollars in damages when floods occur."

Puzio and the Southern Trust team give the following advice for protecting your property from floods caused by inclement weather:

1. Position gutter runoffs correctly. Downspouts should be pointed away from the house and in the appropriate direction. When you're expecting bad weather, extend the downspouts out and away from your home. This enables them to carry water further away from the property. If they aren't properly positioned, water will pool at the corners of your house. This can lead to basement leaks.
2. Separate mulch and siding. Creating space between siding and mulch ensures the base of your home is dry when the storm ends. Siding rots when it's in direct contact with wet mulch for extended periods, resulting in leaks.
3. Use heavy soil. Your lawn should be graded away from your home because rainwater will pool around the house if the lawn is tilted toward it. Adjusting or re-grading your lawn with heavy soil, such as soils that contain sand or clay, enables the runoff to empty appropriately.
4. Invest in check valves. To prevent a flooded sewage system from backing up into your house, your pipes should have check valves. Opt for gate valves over flap valves to ensure a stronger seal against pressure from flooding.
5. Raise switches and outlets. To protect your home from critical electrical damaged, each circuit breaker, outlet, socket and switch must be one foot above flood level.

"Floods that result from inclement weather threaten property and lives," Puzio said. "Flooding is one of the costliest and most common weather disasters in the U.S., and the best way to protect your home is to be prepared. For optimal preparation, you should install a sump pump. This equipment prevents indoor floods and eliminates moisture that can lead to mold and health problems."

To learn more about protecting your property from flooding, call Southern Trust Home Services at 540-343-4348 or visit www.southerntrusthomeservices.com

About Southern Trust Home Services
Founded in 1995 as Southern State Electric, Southern Trust Home Services provides residential plumbing, electrical and HVAC services, including 24/7 emergency repairs, to homeowners in more than 60 cities throughout southern Virginia. Roanoke's first to offer a lifetime guarantee on all recommended repairs, Southern Trust Home Services staffs dedicated, certified, licensed and insured, drug and criminal background checked technicians who provide timely, same-day services for a variety of home repairs, installations, and maintenance. A Better Business Bureau accredited company since 2006, Southern Trust Home Services has financing available including 0 percent for 18 months, and Lifetime Repair Guarantee on stated repairs. To find out more, call 540-343-4348 or visit www.southerntrusthomeservices.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Heather Ripley
Ripley PR
865-977-1973
[email protected]

SOURCE Southern Trust Home Services

Related Links

http://www.southerntrusthomeservices.com

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