INDIANAPOLIS Heavy rain has caused flooding and headaches for some Hoosiers, now left with a mess to clean up.WATCH FULL STORY BELOW Local water restoration company helps Hoosiers protect homes during heavy rainWRTV caught up w ith a water restoration company about ways you can protect your home and your pockets."We've gotten a lot of calls from folks who have water coming into the home for some reason," Dave Richards, Restoration Manager at Indy Roof Restoration, said.Richards said in situations where we've been getting a lot of rain, maintenance problems will arrive."Problems with their roof, maybe there's vents that are loose or missing shingles from previous storms, sometimes the chimney is not intact and needs some work. Those are all potential entry points for water," Richards said.Richards shared his recommendations for homeowners to avoid these problems."We recommend having the roof checked at least once a year. After that, I recommend that the next storm that happens, throw on a raincoat or a poncho and some boots, and just go outside and take a look at your house and watch how the water is shedding away from the house. Are the gutters overflowing or are the downspouts functioning properly?" said Richards. "And then take a look at how the water is discharging out of the downspouts. Is it flowing away from the house as it should, or is it just dumping right in next to the foundation of the home, causing potential problems inside?" And if you don't catch it in time and you are currently in the middle of it all, he says time is important, or it can cost you."The problem is that they don't realize that the drywall or the baseboards are also wet, and mold can start to grow within 48 to 72 hours, given the right conditions. And oftentimes, I get calls from folks who try to dry their homes themselves and realize that they didn't dry at all. And so now, after several days, they're smelling that musty, moldy smell, and now they need help. And unfortunately, at that point the project is larger, it's more expensive, and folks don't end up saving money," Richards said.Richards said it's all about being proactive. Have your roof and gutters inspected. He says don't wait for the rain to come, get ahead of it and save yourself the hassle.__ ...read more read less