LANSING, Mich — A Lansing home builder paid more than $8,000 to get his basement cleaned after it flooded from heavy rains and is sharing tips to homeowners to help prevent high cleaning bills.
WATCH: LANSING HOMEOWNER SHARES BASEMENT FLOOD PREVENTION TIPS AFTER $8,000 REPAIR BILL
During heavy rain, groundwater seeps into some corners of a basement on Chavez Avenue in Lansing.
Property owner Lior Ron is seeking a permanent fix as the home goes up for rent. For now, the dehumidifier is running 24/7.
"We're running a dehumidifier just to make sure mold and mildew is not an issue," Ron said. "We're not trying to hide it. People come down, we'll show the basement."
Ron runs around 200 rental properties as CEO of Lansing Home Pros. In April, heavy rain racked up Ron's cleaning bill for the basement of one of his properties. Hefty maintenance bills aren't new in Ron's line of work.
WATCH: PROPERTY OWNER HIT WITH $8K BILL AS LANSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM SITS UNUSED
"Paying $8,000-$10,000 out of pocket is not great," Ron said. "That's a part of the game, right? Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. It's the cost of doing business."
For most homeowners, taking on those costs can be a burden. Ron's advice is to make it a habit to take care of your home, which could save thousands in the long run.
"Give it a look once a year. Just look around the property. Gutters, downspouts, pitch. roof, windows sealed properly," Ron said.
When it rains, Ron said make sure gutters are clear and are extended three feet away from the home.
"When you own a house it comes with responsibility and you just want to make sure that you actively work to prevent further damage," Ron said.
If you store items in the basement, make sure anything important is on a shelf or off the ground.
Ron said it is crucial to make sure what your insurance covers or doesn't.
"So here we're not in the floodplain so any type of water seeping from the outside due to rain is not going to be covered by insurance," Ron said.
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