Water Damage in Colorado Springs ZIP 80906

What is the creek history for the south-west?

On August 9, 2013, runoff from the Waldo Canyon burn area overflowed Fountain Creek and ran down State Highway 24 through Manitou Springs, according to the US Geological Survey. The creek then carries the water south past Fountain, and the Fountain Creek watershed district reports flood damage to property and infrastructure from that year.

A lot in the south-west is not on the creek bank for most residents, but the same storm drains and low ground that carry runoff can reach a lot a few blocks from the channel.

Which steps come first on a 80906 call?

The first step is the shut-off. The main valve or the valve under the fixture is closed, and the power to any wet room is switched off at the panel if it is dry and safe to reach. The homeowner is then asked to keep out of the standing water.

The crew then removes the water and reads the building. The wet material is identified, the dry standard is set, and the drying equipment is placed for the room and the material.

What should a south-west owner check in the lower rooms?

Look at the lower walls and the floor for a line or a stain after heavy rain. A line at a consistent height is the sign of water that rose and then drained away.

Check the garage threshold and the door seal, because storm water often crosses the threshold first. A small gap there can let a large volume of water in.

Does a storm record change the way the work is done?

The record changes the questions asked, not the method. A house with a history of storm water is read for silt and for the lower wall more carefully, and the crew notes the earlier event in the file.

The record of each event is kept, so a second event is compared with the first and the readings show whether the drying has held.

What is the first thing to look at after a storm on the south-west side?

Begin at the lowest point of the lot and walk uphill along the path the water would have taken. Silt lines, leaves pressed against a fence and a flattened strip of grass all show where the water ran, and the walk helps the crew find the entry point when it arrives.

Then check the garage door seal and the threshold. A worn seal lets water in at the lowest edge of the house, and a gap of a few millimeters is enough to bring in a surprising volume during a long storm.

What the south-west record asks of a homeowner

The record asks for steady attention rather than alarm. A lower room that is checked after each heavy rain, a drain that is kept clear and a shut-off that is known to the whole household are the habits that keep a storm from becoming a long loss. None of them costs much, and each one shortens the time the water stays in the house.