Near-record rain in Snohomish County has left countless homeowners high and dry, yet soaking wet.
A number of low-lying homes have sustained water damage from the rain, workers at three drainage companies said Friday. Most companies can only put people on waiting lists because so many are having problems.
In some cases, the waits are more than a month long.
“There’s not an area that’s immune from calls right now,” said Jack Calvo, owner of Renton-based Perma Dry Waterproofing. “I’ve been in business a long time, and these rains are some of the worst that we’ve seen.”
The damage is caused by water pooling in basements and crawl spaces.
Homes in Marysville and Mill Creek have fared worse than those in other areas of the county, said Paul Korenovsky of Everett-based Allied Waterproofing and Drainage Inc.
The problem could get worse if a windstorm expected today knocks out power and, along with it, sump pumps, Calvo said.
Ken Harris, a supervisor at Bodine Construction Co. in Lynnwood, said his business gets up to 50 calls a day. However, employees can only repair up to eight homes a day, he said.
“It’s sort of a triage thing,” Harris said. “You determine who’s the worst, and you do your best to stay on top of it.”
People can take the following steps to protect their homes from water damage:
* Make sure drains outside your home are clear, especially at the bottom of driveways near garage doors.
* If above-ground downspouts drain near your foundation, run 4-inch corrugated lines off the spouts away from your home.
* Dig small trenches to route water away from foundations.
* Lay tarps along the edges of your home where water might pool.
* Get a backup battery if you have a drainage system that uses an electric sump pump.
* Make a habit of cleaning underground pipes that funnel water away from your home.
* Check with the Better Business Bureau or another consumer watchdog before contracting with a company to do work on your home.
Reporter Scott Pesznecker: 425-339-3436 or spesznecker@heraldnet.com.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
