The month of May is turning out to be a wet one for people living in Minnesota. Just last weekend, thunderstorms moved across the state and dumped heavy amounts of rain which caused problems in many communities and unfortunately, the rain is returning.
The National Weather service has dozens Minnesota counties under flash flood watches througth Thursday as a swath of rainstorms are moving across the state. The system bringing the wet weather is expected to stall over portions of Minnesota mid-week which could result in some areas gettting more than three inches of new rain. The seven-county Twin Cities area is included in the flood watches. Even though the rain is expected to stop Friday, more wet weather is being forecast for the weekend as a new system is making its way over the state.
Officials in communities all across central, southern and southwestern Minnesota are warning residents to be ready for the possibility of basement flooding. They are being told to make sure that their sump pumps are in good working order as they most likely will need to use them. The most likely cause of flooding from this weather system will be too-full storm sewers that are not able to handle the onslaught of heavy rains.
Basement flooding is a widespread problem and one which causes millions of dollars worth of damages to personal property – not to mention huge efforts needed to cleanup flood damage and to replace items lost. It obviously is in a homeowner’s best interest never to experience a flooded basement. The bottom line is that if you have a basement, you can have a flooded basement.
There are some things you can do which can reduce your risk of having a basement flood. One thing that you should do is to make sure that your lot is graded properly so that surface water does not collect around your foundation. You also should be sure that your gutters are cleared and that your downspouts are directed out and away from your home.
It’s wise not to store items on your basement floor because it’s your home’s lowest level and is the portion of your home that’s at greatest risk of getting flooded. If you do have to store items on the floor, lift them up a few inches on shelves or supports or use water-tight containers. If you have a rec room or home theater in your basement, be sure that your expensive electronic items are not sitting on the floor.