How Does Heavy Rain Cause Flooding Inside My Milton House?

7/5/2022 (Permalink)

Inspect and clean rain gutters frequently to help prevent water damage to your home.

No Matter How the Flood Waters Invaded Your Milton Home, SERVPRO Has the Crews and Equipment to Clean Up and Dry Out the Mess 

Flooding is a problem that can strike nearly every home, regardless of its proximity to a waterway, pond, or lake. Torrential rainfall can and does find its way inside many Milton dwellings, plunging the lower levels into disarray and exposing building materials and contents to the risks of deterioration and secondary damage like mold. 

What Are the Ways Rain Water Turns into Flood Water in Milton? 

Roofs and Gutters

SERVPRO assessors often start at the top of your dwelling, where the rain lands first as it falls from the sky. Inadequate or poorly maintained roof gutters and drainage systems cause a significant percentage of the flood damage seen in Milton. Aging or missing gutters, clogged drain spouts, and storm-damaged roofs can admit substantial quantities of water into a home through the ground and seepage through the siding. 

How Do Defective or Damaged Gutters Cause Milton Flooding? 

The intersection of the roofline with the gutter system should be designed to move rain off the structure, with the fluids deposited far enough away from the house to flow into the ground harmlessly. Gutters attach below the edge of the shingles, carrying water along with a series of channels to downspouts connected at a 90-degree angle. The downspouts should drain the water to ground level and continue through extensions to flow at least 10 feet away from the foundation. If any of these parts of the design fail, the following can occur: 

Gutter Issues 

Missing gutters -- When your home does not have gutters, the rain falls directly down to the ground immediately adjacent to your foundation. The water pounding in a narrow strip erodes the soil near your house. Water begins to pool and can seep through cracks in the basement walls, flooding your lowest level. 

Improperly hung gutters -- If gutters are not canted or tilted appropriately toward the nearest downspout, the water can build up in the trough and eventually splash over. Again, any water puddles too close to the foundation can flow directly into your basement. 

Clogged gutters -- Water is trapped when gutters are full of leaves, sticks, and debris from the roof. It then pours over the edge to the surface next to your house and combines with the ground moisture. The resulting mixture can soon creep into your lower levels. 

Downspout Issues 

Missing downspouts -- Sometimes downspouts for your house are missing, or connections are corroded or otherwise unfastened. Rain flows from the roof or gutters down the side of the house that collects next to your foundation. Wet goes to dry, and the nearest dry space, unfortunately, is inside your home. 

Plugged downspouts -- Similar to clogged gutters, downspouts full of debris dam the water, causing it to flood into your home after it floods down the siding. 

Overwhelmed downspouts -- If a downspout drains more than 32 feet of gutter, it is likely to back up, sending rainwater directly to the ground. The next stop might be through a basement window or the semi-porous concrete or block construction of your foundation. 

Can Flooding Become Worse Depending on How You Landscape Around Your Milton Home?  

The ground next to your house’s foundation needs to slope away from your home. If not, water that falls directly down because of gutter or downspout issues can head inside to cause flood damage. Another common problem happens when groundwater percolates closer to the house after the surrounding ground becomes saturated. When rains in Milton repeatedly fall over hours or days, the soggy ground can force excess water to follow the slope towards and into your basement. 

Overland Flooding 

A variety of flash flooding and overland flooding can occur when a tremendous amount of rainwater falls in a short period. This type of flooding spreads like a fast-moving wave across your yard or over your driveway or sidewalks. Cracked or open windows, and walk-out doors, including garage doors, can let the water cascade inside. 

What Is the Answer to Flood Damage in Milton from Heavy Rains? 

Our highly-qualified team of managers and technicians do not discriminate, regardless of the source of the flooding in Milton. We assess the damage and then prepare a plan using industry best practices to extract and lawfully dispose of the floodwater, clean and disinfect affected surfaces, and dry out all wet spaces.   

Why worry about the cause of flooding in your house? SERVPRO of Sullivan and South Ulster Counties is available 24/7 to schedule a consultation at (845) 791-7647.