APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) – Homeowners should keep a watchful eye to ensure that melting snow doesn’t end up causing them damage.
The quick rise in temperature will melt snow throughout the area, which will then hopefully end up in storm drains, not your home.
“We see basements flooding, we see water running off of buildings, penetrating down the side of homes and businesses, and getting inside and causing issues,” says Nick Jackels, owner of Absolute Plumbing in Appleton.
According to him, chipping ice away from storm drains is a good way to keep water away from your home, but there are other factors to monitor as well.
“You just want to watch the discharge piping, watch the sump pump, keep an eye on it and make sure things are working properly,” he says.
Even if everything is working properly, it’s a good idea to have a battery backup for your sump pump and to make sure that everything runs correctly with it.
With advances in technology, you can even get alerts if your sump pump fails, whether you’re in town or not.
“There are text-alert, email-alert, and app-alert type of systems that we can install that’ll give you a text alert or email alert, and you can always check the app on your phone, as long as you have Wi-Fi or phone coverage,” he explains,
Also, keep an eye on your gutters,
“What happens is you get an ice buildup, which creates damming, and then water can go down into the home through your walls and create some pretty significant damages to your home,” says Neenah insurance agent Dave Mader.
An easy way to avoid that is by utilizing a snow rake to clean out your gutters.
Additionally, flood insurance can provide homeowners with peace of mind.
“If snow is melting, obviously the consumer can run out and get coverage, knowing that the coverage has a greater probability to pay out,” he says.
The waiting period after you add flood insurance is 30 days, according to Mader.
