Water damage to your furnace during the winter months can be a disaster, and a hassle you do not want to deal with. Prevent water damage to your furnace this winter by taking a few precautions.
Elevate the furnace. If possible, move the furnace from the basement or lower level of the home to the attic or an upper level. If it's not feasible to take this measure, you can build a base and elevate the furnace in the existing location. Experts recommend that the furnace be at least 12" highter than the flood elevation. Here's a great DIY video of how to build a base to elevate your furnace and prevent water damage.
Install water sensors near your furnace. Especially if your furnace is in the basement or a low-level floor of your home, water sensors are a good investment. Spending just a few hundred dollars on water sensors can potentially save you thousands in #waterdamage and #waterdamagerestoration costs down the road. Click here to visit the 2020 consumer reports evaluation of #watersensors and consider this a good investment.
Build a concrete or mason block flood wall around the furnace if it cannot be elevated. If you're not a contractor, get help from a pro for this option because specific clearances must be met for safety purposes and to pass code enforcement inspections.
Install sewer backflow valves. This depends on your elevation and the relationship of your structure to the first upstream manhole. Here's an image from backwater-valves.com website that illustrates whether or not you may need sewer back flow valves to help prevent sewage #basementflooding this winter. Click Here for the full article.
