If you live in the Colorado high country, you’ve likely experienced the effects of melting snow runoff and heavy rain during the spring season. Compared to forests and open fields that allow for water to soak through into the ground, many homes contain impermeable services that cause rainwater to run off. The best way to protect your home begins with understanding how water moves and what you can do to capture and/or redirect it. Here are some things you can do to protect your home during the runoff season.
Landscaping
If you understand how rainwater moves and how you can direct it, you can better understand how to prevent it from affecting your property. Landscaping your property can help greatly with redirecting or minimizing runoff. Consider planting trees and shrubs to give excess water the ability to filter into the soil before it reaches your home. The root systems of trees are capable of absorbing water across a large area. The canopy of the tree can also slow the fall of rainwater, which helps the ground surrounding the tree absorb larger amounts of water.
Adding compost or mulch to your soil can also help reduce runoff. Don’t leave soil exposed, however, as if not covered, it can act as impervious as concrete. Consider creating a basin in your yard to capture water and then slowly distribute it into the surrounding soil over a longer period of time.
Paved Areas
For paved areas around your property, consider using porous asphalt or permeable concrete or reducing the surface area of the paved area. Other alternatives to concrete that allow for water to flow easier include bricks, interlocking pavers, or flat stones. These alternatives work best when placed over well-draining soil, sand, or gravel.
Redirecting Water that Drains From Your Roof
Create a dry-well to collect water from gutter downspouts and other areas where large amounts of water tend to flow off the roof of your home. The great thing about these types of systems is that they help control erosive runoff from getting to other areas of your property. A dry-well can also help minimize backsplash, and as a result, reduce water damage to your house.
Insure Your Home for Complete Coverage
Sometimes no matter how we try to prevent runoff from destroying our property, nature oftentimes has a mind of its own. To ensure complete coverage for your home and surrounding property, it’s important to purchase a homeowner’s insurance policy that fits the needs of possible damage that may occur from forces you cannot control. Making sure you are covered will mean that no matter what nature throws at you, you’ll be ready to handle it and have peace of mind knowing that you’ve covered yourself as thoroughly as possible.
Insurance Town & Country is here to help you with all your homeowner’s insurance needs. Contact a qualified representative today to learn more about our homeowner’s insurance policies and how you can protect your home from rainwater and melting snow runoff.
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