How to protect your home from fall flooding damage in the Chattanooga area

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Our StormTrack 9 team is calling for about 2 to 4 inches of rain in the coming days.

That's a reminder for you to take steps to protect your home from flood and water damage, particularly with leaves starting to fall, clogging up drainage systems.

On Tuesday, we spoke with Chattanooga home inspector Michael Lane about what you can do to help keep your home safe.

Lane says water leakage is one of the biggest issues Chattanooga homeowners face, particularly when heavy rains move through.

Lane says one of the biggest things homeowners can do in preparation is make sure their gutters are cleared from debris, especially leaves in the fall.

"Gutters, gutters, gutters, making sure that gutters are cleaned out, and that when that rain starts, the water's gonna be able to flow," Lane said. "Keeping on top of the leaf buildup in your gutters early on, during the beginning of the fall months is just a way to save a lot of problems down the road."

The purpose of gutters is to direct rain flow on your roof away from the foundations of your home.

That’s why Lane says it’s important to check areas like in the picture above, where gutters connect to downspouts, to ensure there isn’t any clogging or leaking, so water can move away freely.

"Take a walk around the house, see where you might find those trouble spots," he said.

If it's safe, Lane says, "go and take a look out there in the rain and see: Is water pooling up there? Go in the basement, check the side. Does it look like this area is getting moist?"

Lane says downspout extensions like the one above can help ensure water from the gutter system is moving away from your home.

"As long as that water is going into that drain extension and flowing away from the house, that’s good enough," he told us.

It’s also important to check the grade of the land next to your house, making sure water is flowing down and away from the foundation.

If your home is at the bottom of a hill with water moving toward it, Lane says there are ways to handle this.

You can add dirt next to the foundations to help redirect water, drainage systems can be installed, and you can consider waterproofing your basement if necessary, he says.

A key reason to take these steps seriously is because water intrusion can lead to serious issues in your home.

Those include potential rotting, destabilization of a home’s foundation, and deterioration of air quality.

Safety reminder: If you’re getting up on a ladder to check your gutters, be careful. Make sure you’re comfortable and do not do it while it’s raining and slippery. There are plenty of local experts that can help if you need it.