Protect your home with low-cost projects you can do yourself

Rainfall, snow, ice, and erosion can all cause moderate to extensive damage to buildings and property. Fortunately, there are many projects you can complete yourself to prevent water damage to your building(s) and property. Most of these actions are inexpensive and only require annual maintenance to function properly. The following Do-It-Yourself (DIY) actions can help prevent flood damage.

For rainfall runoff:

• Ensure that all gutters, downspouts, and downspout extensions are securely attached to your building and that the drainage is directed away from the foundation.
• Routinely clean gutters and downspouts of all debris and blockages, particularly in the spring and fall when tree foliage, such as blossoms, seeds, and leaves, tends to accumulate there.
• For areas of the property where runoff is significant and causing erosion, consider placing rain barrels under downspouts, rain gardens in well-defined drainage areas, or establishing additional green space to reduce erosion.
• Inspect all lateral drainage connections for blockages and damage and make any needed repairs.
• Check all drainage ditches or storm drains close to your property to make sure that they are clear of debris and functioning properly. 
• If city-owned property contains non-functioning drainage ditches or stormwater inlets, contact the Public Works or Streets department to remedy the situation.

For snow or ice accumulation:

• If significant amounts of snow are accumulating on the building’s roof, use a roof rake to remove snow along the edge of the roof. This helps prevent ice dams, which can damage interior walls during the freeze-thaw cycle, from forming.
• After moderate or severe storms, clear snow and ice away from the building’s foundation to prevent seepage into the building during the freeze-thaw cycle.

For erosion control or landscaping:

• If soil erosion is occurring near a foundation or across your property, redirect the drainage away from the eroded area.
• Reestablish the eroded area by filling it with soil and placing sod, planting grass seed, or planting perennial groundcover vegetation.
• Design new landscaping to avoid root intrusion into sanitary sewer pipes and consider removing established vegetation that may be affecting sanitary sewer pipes.
• If your property is connected to a septic system rather than a city’s sanitary system, ensure that the system does not become overfilled and form a blockage that could back up into your building, causing damage.