How to find a water leak in your home

[caption id="attachment_966" align="alignleft" width="276"] (Photo credit: State Farm/Creative Commons)[/caption] With spring on its way, many Canadians are likely relieved that winter is finally ending. But one issue many homeowners face when the snow starts to melt is water damage to their houses. Water damage can wreck havoc on your home and cost you thousands of dollars in repairs and to replace your ruined personal belongings. With many house basements below ground level, they are a common place for water damage. While there are steps you can take to protect yourself from a basement flooding, you need to first identify the problem. When there's water damage to your home, it isn't always obvious with large amounts of water on your basement floor. Sometimes you'll only see a small damp spot on your basement floor or smell a musty odour that could be related to mould forming from water damage in areas of your home that you can't see. Before you can fix the leak, you first need to find where it's coming from. One place to start is by checking your basement's windows, if it has any. The window frame is one way water can get in and if you discover there are cracks or holes in the seal or the wood frame is rotting, consider replacing the entire frame. Also, some windows have window wells where water can collect. Prevent this from happening by shovelling the snow away from the wells when temperatures start to rise. If that area is in tip top shape, look for any cracks in your basement walls. If you spot any, fill them up with sealant. Also, check to see whether there are any cracks in your basement floors for water to seep through and if you discover severe cracks in the foundation, you'll want to consult with an expert on how to go about remedying the issue. If you still haven't discovered the source of the leak from the basement's interior, walk around your house's exterior since sometimes the issue can be caused an outside element. Your home's downspout should be pointed away from the foundation and if you think it could be causing the leak, disconnect it and reattach so that any water flowing through it will drain to a slope away from your house. Also, make sure your downspouts are clear of debris since they could lead to backed up eavestroughs and water seepage through cracks in the walls. One easy way to check that your eavestrough is functioning properly is by running a water hose at the eavestrough and watching that the water flows through the downspout and away from the house. With more extreme weather issues, such as floods or heavy rainstorms more likely to occur, protect your home from leaks to maintain its value. If you live in Toronto, the city can help you with these home renovations by subsidizing a portion of the costs with its Basement Flooding Protection Subsidy Program.Rebate4U can help clients receive the money from the Basement Flooding Protection Subsidy Program for free. Your home is the biggest investment you’ll ever take and it’s important to protect its value. If you’ve done major renovations on your home, Rebate4U can help you determine whether you qualify for an HST rebate. Rebate4U’s priority is to provide our clients with the most professional and quality service in obtaining rebates for their new and renovated homes. We are proud to offer our clients the most personal and attentive service, and we make sure that all of our clients are 100% satisfied.