Tips To Prevent A Flooded Basement This Spring

Spring is one of the most beautiful times of the year. It’s a time when you can enjoy the warmth and the flowers and you startspending more time outside. But, at the same time, it can be a problem. If you have a basement, you may not be looking forward to spring as much as other people.

In fact, you may not be looking forward to it at all because you’re worried about how a potential basement flooding would affect your house, especially if it has happened before. So, what do you do to make sure that you don’t have to worry about flooding in your basement?

Add Gutters & Downspouts

The first thing is to make sure that you have gutters and downspouts on the outside of your home. When the rain or snow comes down on the roof that moisture has to go somewhere.

If you don’t have a gutter and downspouts that water runs off all sides and edges of your home and starts to pool around the outside edge of your home. When there is too much water it seeps in through the dirt and then can gets inside your basement, causing a whole lot of flooding.

When you put gutters on it collects the water that comes off your roof and the downspouts direct it away from the base of your house so it doesn’t seep into the home foundations and cause basement flooding, serious water damage, damp walls, mold and possibly even structural damage to your property. Even a slightly wet basement can spoil everything.

Clean Gutters & Downspouts

If you already have gutters and downspouts, it’s important to take a closer look at them. If leaves, dirt and other debris get stuck in them you might find yourself with the same problems as you would without them at all.

That’s because they get filled with dirt and other debris and then water comes in and can’t get through. That water starts to pool up on top of the debris and then it overflows, right down the sides of your house and to the base of your home.

Then it’s the same as not having those gutters at all. The water starts to pool up until it seeps through the dirt and then you end up with that unwanted water in your basement.

Check For And Repair Foundation Cracks

If you have cracks in your foundation you could end up with even more moisture and water in your basement because water gets into the dirt no matter what. When it rains or snows and that moisture gets into the soil it has to go somewhere.

Some of it gets absorbed and it’s going to continue looking for somewhere to go, working through the dirt. If it comes across a wall it can’t get in, but if there’s a crack in that wall it will.

Of course, since we’re talking about water the crack doesn’t need to be that big for the water to start seeping through and it can continue to pour through until there’s no more water available on the outside.

By looking at your foundation frequently and using an epoxy or masonry sealer to get rid of any kind of cracks, you’ll be able to cut down on water seepage.

Get A Sump Pump

If you’re in an area that floods a lot or comes close to flooding a lot you may want to get a sump pump that can take care of pumping out that water quickly and easily.

The water will be removed from the immediate area of your home and you won’t have to worry about it ending up in the basement where you really don’ t want it. These systems kick in on their own when there’s a lot of water in the area and they’ll start taking care of the problem right away.

Clean Sump Pump

If you have a sump pump in your home you want to make sure that you always check it as well. This is responsible for keeping water out of your basement and if the power goes out or if too much debris gets into the sump pump it isn’t able to do its job.

When that happens you end up with a whole lot of water and moisture seeping through and you end up with a flooded basement. The sump pump should help you when the area becomes flooded.

However, if it’s not able to pump properly, or if debris gets in, then it’s not going to be any different from a house that doesn’t have a sump pump at all.

Get A Backup Sump Pump

Some people get a backup sump pump to make sure that if the first one doesn’t work properly and malfunctions or if it gets overloaded and overworked you have a way to continue getting the water out.

You don’t want to rely on a sump pump and then have it fail on you in the moment that you need it the most, right? You want something that you can easily just set up and then trust that it’s going to work—and with a backup, you should be able to do that.

Set Up A Generator

If your basement is flooded a lot, you always want to be prepared for it and that includes having a sump pump. Unfortunately, when you get too much rain it can be accompanied by other problems that may knock out the power and cause just as many problems.

If you don’t have power then your sump pump doesn’t work and all your preplanning means absolutely nothing, which definitely isn’t going to help you.

If you have a generator that’s set up to automatically run when the power goes out you don’t have to worry about what happens if you flood and lose power when you are not at home. The generator takes care of things right away.

Cover The Windows

Windows that are below ground or right at ground level are a source of water leakage quite frequently. No matter how much you try to seal those windows you could still end up with some problems over time.

Even a small amount of water leaking through a crack in your window or a seal that’s not 100% covered can cause a whole lot of damage if it’s left unchecked for too long. You want to make sure that’s not happening to you and that you’re keeping all the windows covered and sealed.

By covering them with plastic covers or shields you can keep out water and you’ll also be able to keep pests out of the area as well, which is an added bonus.

Improve Your Landscaping

Another great way to prevent your basement from flooding and improve the look of your home is to improve the landscaping.

Making sure that any slope in your yard or around your yard is pointing away from the house is a great step and you can do this by simply sloping the area or even by adding things like bushes and shrubs that will add to the look of your home and keep water from seeping into the ground. This is going to cost a little bit more up front, but over time it’s just going to require a little bit of maintenance.

Clean The Septic System

Every year you should get your septic system cleaned out so that you can make sure there’s no debris or anything else blocking the line.

If there’s something in there and it does block the line that means that water and moisture aren’t going to be pumped out properly and you could end up with water backing up into your basement.

If you get the septic system cleaned every year you won’t have to worry about that because they’ll find any problem that might be there before it becomes an even bigger issue for you and your family.

Get Flood Insurance

It’s not going to prevent your basement from flooding, but it is going to keep you a whole lot better protected if your basement does flood.

That floodwater can cause a lot of damage, even if it’s just a few inches, and you want to make sure anything that is destroyed by the flood is going to be taken care of by your insurance.

You also want to make sure that you can get those problems taken care of quickly. With flood insurance, you wouldn’t be responsible for any damage that occurs as a result of a flood.

Basements are, by definition, below ground, and since that’s where water is going to go when it comes down, it’s important to keep a careful eye on your property and what’s happening to it.

Basement waterproofing will help, but it is expensive and you need to carry out most of the above when spring comes around. Whether you only use it for storage or it’s a play area for your children and their friends, you want to keep it warm and dry at all times of the year and you definitely want to be able to enjoy it. You can’t do that if there’s water everywhere.

Sources:
https://www.bobvila.com/slideshow/7-steps-to-avoid-a-flooded-basement-44256#.WiKNJUqnHIU
https://www.puroclean.com/blog/follow-these-tips-prevent-spring-thaw-flooding
https://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/articles/2014/04/21/strategies-for-keeping-your-basement-flood-free
https://utilitieskingston.com/News/Article/Tips-to-Prevent-Basement-Flooding-During-Thaw-https://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=d64807ceb6f8e310VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD&vgnextchannel=9970ffa6ee33f310VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD
https://deltadenver.com/disaster-restoration-tips/prevent-flooded-basement-water-damage-with-these-tips-1510238732.html

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Floodwater can cause a lot of damage, even if it’s just a few inches, and you want to make sure anything that is destroyed by the flood is going to be taken care of by your insurance.

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