Protect Your Property From Downpours, Snowmelt
You can take steps to protect your property and family from a heavy rainstorm or fast snowmelt.
“Snow can hold a lot of water,” says Ken Hellevang, North Dakota State University Extension Service flood expert. “For instance, a 10-foot-high pile of snow 20 feet in diameter contains 2,000 to 3,000 gallons of water. And about 2,500 gallons of water will come from a 1,000-square-foot roof with snow 1 foot deep across the roof.”
This checklist can help you reduce the severity of damage and keep your family safe:
- Move snow away from your home’s foundations. Snowmelt can cause a wet basement if it’s allowed to run along the basement wall. Moving snow just 3 to 5 feet from the house will reduce problems if the ground near the house is sloped 1 inch per foot.
- Build dams and contour the ground so water will drain away from the house instead of into window wells.
- Get eaves troughs and downspouts into place so they can carry water from melting snow or a heavy rainfall away from the house.
- Do not use salt or a chemical to melt snow and ice in downspouts because salt and chemicals probably will damage the lawn.
For more information, visit www.ag.ndsu.edu/flood or www.extension.org/Floods.
