GREENSBORO, N.C. — As Hurricane Ian is expected to bring heavy rains to North Carolina, home service experts say now is the time to prepare your home to avoid any damage. Here are four things you should do to prepare.
1. Check your gutters
Ryan Arnett with Tar Heel Basement Systems said making sure water is moving away from your home is key with heavy rain.
"They will be a lot of surface water coming off the roof so your gutters are really important there," said Arnett. "Water damage from storms like this can be in the tens of thousands of dollars so making sure that you have a good protective system in place is going to be very important."
You can even install downspout extenders on your gutters and create barriers for the water around your home.
"Remove items around the house that might cause water intrusion or water to pool around the house, if possible," said Jonathan King with Crawlspace Medic. "If there are some low-lying areas around the house, it might be a good idea to set out some sandbags so water doesn’t flow into the crawlspace."
2. Check your sump pump
Arnett said to make sure your sump pump is in working order before a storm.
"There are three ways that a sump system can fail so make sure you were covered against those: mechanical failure, electrical failure, and being overwhelmed by the amount of water they may be dealing with during a storm event," Arnett said.
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3. Check your insurance
According to Arnett, water damage due to flooding may not be covered by your insurance policy so make sure you are up to date on what your policy covers. He said you should also make an emergency plan for your family.
4. Get an inspection
You can have your home inspected by a home service company before or after an event. Both Crawlspace Medic and Tarheel Basement Systems offer free inspections for homeowners.
"If you’ve not had a professional come out and inspect your home to make sure that you are fully protected against any chance of water intrusion or foundation settlement you should definitely take that chance," said Arnett. "Even after an event, it’s never too late to have that looked at and prepare yourself and your family and your home for crisis is like these when they occur."