4 Quick Tips to Prevent Basement Flooding
Owning a house is a wonderful thing, but every homeowner knows that it comes with its struggles. Perhaps the most stressful, prevalent, and time-consuming issue is basement flooding. Fortunately there are precautions you can take to prevent flooding from ruining future parties, treasured belongings, and family memories. Here are five tips to help avoid basement flooding throughout the year:
1. Gutter Maintenance
When your gutter becomes clogged with debris, basement flooding becomes more likely. The gutter's top priority is to allow water to exit your premises, but if it's blocked off then water is prevented from leaving your house, resulting in a buildup of it with nowhere to go. Leaves or branches are big culprits when it comes to gutter clogging and should be dealt with accordingly. Look to clean out your gutters every spring and fall. A little bit of extra time spent on this can go a long way.
2. Foundation Cracks
Foundation walls and basement floors are prone to cracks regardless of whether or not your house has a history of flooding. Holes in a foundation lead to water getting through them, so look to seal any openings you can find. You can use caulk on any cracks that are less than ⅛ inches wide. Wider cracks will require epoxy filler to be applied with a putty knife. If a crack is too complex to be sealed with DIY solutions, don't be afraid to call in professional help. Openings in your foundation are not to be avoided and must be dealt with immediately through any means necessary.
3. Downspout Positioning
If your downspouts are not positioned properly, it doesn't matter how clean your gutters are. Make sure your downspouts are directing water far away from your basement and house area in general. For reference, water should be released at least five feet away from home onto a hard surface rather than grass (avoid puddles). We highly recommend 3x4 inch downspouts especially in areas with large amounts of rainfall. The good news is that poorly positioned downspouts can be easily fixed through a DIY project. Professional help is usually not necessary for this step.
4. Window Well Covers
Many homeowners tend to leave their window wells open- leaving them vulnerable to natural weather. Without a well cover, rain can easily build up and seep into the basement through the unprotected windows. Along with that, condensation may be prominent in your basement, so opening the windows is a good way to avoid it. But if it's raining out and you don't have window well covers, then you won't be able to open any basement windows. A simple installation of well covers for all your basement windows will easily prevent flooding from rain buildup.
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