Residents living in the Midwest have certainly been through their fair share of severe weather situations so far this summer. There have been severe thunderstorms with heavy winds and rain to endure, widespread flooding as well as numerous tornadoes that have devastated entire neighborhoods.
Over the past couple of weeks Chicago experienced record flooding. In fact, the 122-year rainfall record for July was shattered last week as two passing storms dumped enough rain on the Windy City and the surrounding area to make July 2011 the wettest one in the city's history. Homeowners in other Midwestern cities such as Detroit and Cleveland also suffered property damage and flooding due to severe weather systems which wreaked havoc on the region.
The harsh, 2011 summertime weather Midwesterners have been forced to endure is a stark reminder of how important it is to safeguard your home and property. Those living in flood-prone areas should consider improving their homeowner's insurance coverage. Sadly, there are a great many homeowners who find out the hard way that their standard homeowner's insurance policy does not cover flood damage and loss. And, there are still more who rush out to buy flood insurance prior to large storms moving in only to find out later that one must wait 30 days before flood insurance kicks in.
It is also a reminder of how important it is to have a pump sump installed in your basement. Millions of dollars in loss occurred in Chicago and its suburbs this summer due to flooded basements inside homes and businesses. A sump pump is a absolute necessity if you live in a home that has a basement in a flood-prone area. There is nothing worse than discovering that your basement has a few feet of flood water in it and not having a way to pump it out. And, a flooded basement can do an incredible amount of structural damage to floors and walls and it also becomes a health hazard for your family. Mold and mildew thrive in damp environments and a home mold problem is a real nightmare to endure, that you can be sure of.
Hopefully the rest of the summer will be a calm one, weather-wise, although residents down south will be closely following the start of the hurricane season. For many, the days of extreme heat in the Midwest are enough to bear, without having to deal with downed trees, flooded basements and roof damage from hail and high winds. Homeowners would be wise to thoroughly inspect their homes, consider adding sump pumps and extra insurance coverage to cover flooding and sewer backups to ensure that future storms wont cause damages seen over the past month.
0 comments:
Post a Comment