In mid-November, you may have been aware of the massive amounts of snow to hit the northern area of New York. This horrific storm brought over 6 feet of snow in a 1-2 day time span, immediately followed by spring like temperatures. While the snow didn’t last very long, many feared the flooding and water damages in basements that were about to follow.
Flood warnings hit the Buffalo area shortly after Thanksgiving, and people started preparing for the worst. For every 10 inches of snow, you can estimate that it will melt into 1 inch of water. After calculating the enormous amount of snow on the ground, many basements and homes could have lost everything. However, due to the efficient response of the city to clear snow from the most dangerous areas of potential flooding, only a few isolated incidents were reported for flooded basements.
How To Be Prepared For A Heavy Snowfall
While the residents of New York were prepared for such an event, would you be prepared to handle this much snow in Michigan? Here are a few tips to print for safe keeping, just in case this extreme event ever occurred this winter.
- Check for cracks in your foundation – Depending on the heaviness and wetness of the snow, you could be expecting even more flooding issues, if you’re not prepared. Any foundation cracks, broken seals, or window issues, could mean swarms of water into your basement.
- Move the snow away from your home – Don’t let your snow pile up next to the foundation of your home. Once the snow starts to melt, it will begin moving down into the ground, and the further away from your home, the better chances you have of avoiding flooding.
- Move your downspouts further away from your home – If you have the ability to move your downspouts, now is the time to make sure they are properly placed away from the foundation of your home. The further into the yard they can be expanded, the less water issues you’ll run into.
- Make sure your basement is waterproofed – If you haven’t looked into a complete basement waterproofing overhaul, now is the time to give us a call! With winter approaching faster this year, Tom’s Basement Waterproofing is prepared to handle your biggest problems now, so you can rest easy when the snow hits.