All it takes is one big rain fall or rapid snowmelt and you could be dealing with a nightmare scenario that no homeowner wants. If your basement has ever flooded or been damaged by water, you know just how stressful a flood can be.
The good news is, with a few simple maintenance tips and a keen eye, you can greatly reduce your risk of flooding. Here are seven ways you to keep your basement dry.
1. Clean and maintain gutters and downspouts
Cleaning your gutters and maintaining your downspouts is an essential part of maintaining your home. By keeping your gutters free of debris and ensuring downspouts are properly positioned away from the foundation, water from rain and storms will flow freely, rather than pooling up against your home.
Downspouts should direct water at least three feet away from your foundation; in most cases, using downspout extensions or troughs is necessary to achieve this distance. While cleaning your gutters and maintaining your downspouts can be a bit of annoyance, it’s a relatively simple and inexpensive task.
2. Properly landscape your yard
The slope of your yard or the shape of your flower bed could be contributing to your water issues. Seems crazy, right? Consider this: if the slope of your yard directs water towards your home, water will pool up around your property, and eventually find a way in. Depending on your specific landscaping issue, you may need to regrade your lawn, or even have a French drain installed.
3. Inspect and repair foundation cracks
Cracks in your home’s foundation can act as an open invitation to water intrusion. To prevent basement flooding or water damage, visually inspect the exterior of your foundation, basement walls and floors on a regular basis. If you come across any cracks during your inspection, you can try filling them with epoxy. If you encounter a more serious foundation problem, call me and I can connect you with a professional to come take a look.
4. Practice proper sump pump maintenance
Sump pump failure is the most frequent cause of basement floods. If your home has a sump pump, you’ve already got a great defense in combating mold, water damage, and flooding. However, simply owning a sump pump doesn’t give you a “get out of jail free” card – you’ve got to maintain it too.
If you know a huge storm is headed your way, check to make sure your sump pump is working properly and is plugged in. Also, consider investing in a generator for your sump pump and a replacement to keep on hand, just in case you lose power or the pump fails when you need it most. Keep in mind, if your basement floods as a result of a broken sump pump, your homeowner’s insurance may not cover the damage.
5. Inspect sewers and clean septic systems
When was the last time you had your sewer inspected or your septic tank cleaned? Skipping out on sewer inspections and septic tank cleanings is a sure fire way to invite havoc into your home, as clogs, sewer backups and overflows are bound to eventually happen with lack of maintenance.
6. Install window well covers
Homes with below-grade basement windows should always be protected with window well covers. When fastened securely over your basement windows and latched on to your home’s foundation, window well covers work wonders in waterproofing your basement. To keep your basement bright, look for clear acrylic window well covers.
7. Get familiar with your insurance
Do you have flood insurance? How about additional coverage for sewer backups? If you don’t know the answer to either of these questions, take a few moments to review the details of your home’s insurance policy. This won't prevent basement flooding per se, but at least you'll be protected in the event flooding occurs.
The overall lesson: Be a proactive homeowner
Owning a home is an investment that needs regular maintenance. Whether problems arise from flooding, fire damage or even mold growth, issues are bound to occur - after all, there’s no such thing as the “perfect home.” By being a proactive homeowner, you can spot small and easily fixable issues before they become full-blown disasters. When it comes to a dry basement, a little bit of pro-activeness goes a long way. As they say, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!"
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