How to prevent your home from flooding

With the entire Miami Valley under a Flash Flood Watch this weekend, here are some tips to help prevent flooding.

Widespread showers and storms will bring heavy rainfall that can lead to flood issues. Rain totals could range from one-to-three inches by the end of the weekend.

A Flash Flood Watch will be in effect from 2 p.m. Saturday to 8 p.m. Sunday.

Nick Hirth, plumbing service manager for A-Abel, said homeowners should make sure their downspout drains are clear and away from the home’s foundation.

Also, Hirth said sump pumps should be properly maintained in preparation of potential flooding.

“Sump pumps are built to run a marathon,” Hirth said. “When sump pumps sit dormant for this long and we get this heavy amount of rain, it’s basically asking them to run a sprint.”

Basements will flood when sump pumps fail, Hirth said.

“The weakest points of any home is where the foundation meets the wall,” Hirth said. “Water has a chance to come off the roof and saturate the foundation. It’s the least path of resistance. When you see cracks in walls or in the foundation, it may look damper or the concrete will be a darker color. It’s a clear sign of issues.”

News Center 7’s John Bedell is working on this story, and he’ll have more later today.

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