DRAINAGE CHECK: Prepare Your Home or Business

Heavy rainfall can have a quick and devastating impact on homes and buildings, marring roofs and siding or causing sump pumps and drains to overflow. Yet, most consumers are unaware that many property insurance policies do not cover water damage associated with wear-and-tear, lack of maintenance, etc. Therefore, helping your clients to understand the “covered perils” under their policy as well as offering tips to prepare and maintain property from rain damage is more important than ever.

Avoiding rain damage can be as simple as making sure the water has somewhere to go, which is why gutter and downspout maintenance is essential.

Clean Gutters Clogged gutters, downspouts, and scuppers can cause water to backup and damage your roof. Clear these of debris at least twice a year.

Trim Trees Trim any surrounding trees away from your roof to prevent clogs (leaves and sticks can build up in gutters) and to prevent premature aging of the roof which can lead to water infiltration.

Align Gutters If there is any standing water in your gutters, adjust them so they gently slope toward the downspout.

Aim Downspouts Funnel water by ensuring downspout endings are pointing away from buildings, preventing water from accumulating at foundations or flooding basements.