Flooding in Oregon – How to Protect Your Home

Posted on Oregon Flooding

Protect your home from flood-like conditions by keeping gutters clear and hiring a Salem roofer to perform roof repairs as quickly as possible.

The flooding in Oregon has gotten bad enough that Governor Brown has declared a state of emergency in 13 counties. Our home county, Marion County, has been included on this list. We want to encourage homeowners to take every precaution to protect their homes and keep safe during the Oregon floods of 2015. In this post, we will address some ways homeowners can go about protecting their home and families.

  • Make sure your homeowners insurance covers flood damage. If extensive water damage impacts your home, you could be facing a bill for tens of thousands of dollars very quickly. It is much nicer to be able to hand that bill to your insurance company than to foot it for yourself in most circumstances. To that note, take pictures on your cell phone or camera of your most valuable items for any insurance claim you might need to make.
  • Fix any roof leaks or foundation leaks you know of immediately. Allowing water to enter your home will create a “snowball effect” in terms of problems for you. Once a leak has started, it can grow and allow more water in. Water can cause rot, mold, mildew, and more problems for you. Making the proper roof and foundation repairs promptly can save your home from extensive damages. Mortar or masonry caulking can provide you with a quick fix for foundation leaks in many cases.
  • Clear debris from your gutters and drains. These systems need to be operating at maximum capacity during flooding, and debris will slow their flow. Also, ensure no downspouts have fallen or been damaged, as these systems are often crucial for bringing water away from your home and foundation. If they aren’t working properly, either fix or replace them immediately.
  • If water levels get higher, turn off your home’s electricity from the main electrical panel.
  • Try to stack sandbags in front of your home in lower areas where the water could start flowing first. This could be effective in holding back some of the water and keeping levels lower.

If your home’s roof has been damaged by the recent flooding in Oregon, please give us a call for an estimate sooner rather than later. We will be offering special discounts on Yelp for roof replacement and would love to extend special offers to our customers to make things a little bit easier during this time of need. For a free roofing estimate, call (503) 585-2338.

Written by
Terry Slate
Terry is the Vice President of Slate & Slate Roofing and has over 28 years of experience with both residential and commercial roofing. He specializes in metal roofing, composition roofing, and PVC membrane roofing.