How to Keep Water Out of Your Basement
If spring showers had only one purpose, i.e., producing healthy and beautiful May flowers, no one would complain. But nope, heavy rain – no matter when it might fall – has plenty of negative consequences, too. That includes flooded basements, garages, and who knows what else?!
Of course, rain waters can’t get inside your home all on their own. They need help from conditions like the following:
- Poor Grading – If the ground is flat or slopes toward your home, water can pool up near the foundation and eventually make its way indoors.
- Clogged Gutters – If water can’t flow freely through your gutters and out your downspouts, it has to go somewhere. And that somewhere could easily be through your foundation.
- Missing or Short Downspouts – Downspouts can’t effectively do their job if they’re clogged, leaking, or too short. To play it safe, extend them at least six feet away from the foundation.
- Missing or Damaged Flashing – Flashing is a thin, water-resistant material that is installed where two different surfaces meet, such as around windows and doors, at intersecting points in the roof, and over the foundation. If it’s missing or damaged, water can penetrate your home’s interior.
As a homeowner, you can help your cause by practicing these preventive maintenance steps:
- Clean your gutters at least once each season or more often if you have an abundance of mature trees.
- Keep your eyes – and nose – open for signs of moisture or mold in your attic or basement.
- Routinely inspect your foundation for cracks and have them sealed to prevent water penetration.
- Install window well covers over basement windows to keep rain water out.
And then there’s that wonderful home plumbing device called the sump pump to rid your basement of water should it go where it’s not wanted. For an added measure of protection, consider acquiring a back-up sump pump, one that will engage automatically if your main sump pump fails for any reason, including loss of electricity. For more information or free quote, contact Best Choice Plumbers today.