How to prepare your home for potential flooding

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Another wet weekend is in the forecast for Central Ohio, and the rain may be heavy enough to cause minor flooding late Saturday.

Heavy rain events on Dec. 28-30 and Jan. 2-4 totaling more than an inch in the Columbus area have left the ground fairly saturated ahead of the incoming weekend system.

Experts advise now is the time to ensure that your sump pump is working properly. Pouring a 5-gallon bucket of water into the pit will help test whether the float engages the pump and properly drains water without any blockages.

On the outside of the home, keeping the nearest curbside outlet clear and checking for leaky downspouts around the house help direct water away from the foundation and prevent basement leakage.

Jermey Bistel, a technician with The Waterworks in Worthington, said that problems can also develop during power outages.

“If your primary pump — the pedestal pump — would quit working, now you’re relying on your backup. And if you backup is not working, you’re going to have a flooded basement,” Bistel said.

A battery-powered unit can protect homeowners from an expensive flooding problem, if an outage causes the sump pump to shut off or the switch fails during a period of heavy runoff.