Easy Strategies to Keep Your Basement From Flooding
Whether it’s caused by a water intrusion from outside or backed-up plumbing inside, a flooded basement can leave you facing a soggy mess and costly repairs. Here are some effective strategies to keep your basement from flooding, so you can avoid the headaches and expense of dealing with water damage.
Maintain Gutters and Downspouts
Keep your gutters in good repair and free from accumulated leaves and debris, so rain and water runoff from melting snow can drain freely. Make sure downspouts are properly attached, and if necessary, add extensions so that draining water runs out at least three feet away from your foundation.
Address Foundation Cracks
Examine your foundation, as well as your basement walls and floor to identify any cracks where water can enter. You can use epoxy to fill exterior cracks and masonry sealer on your basement’s interior walls and floor. In severe cases, professional waterproofing may be necessary.
Check the Sump Pump
Your sump pump won’t keep the basement from flooding if it isn’t working properly. Test it to make sure it’s functional, and make sure the sump pit is clear of debris. For protection during power outages, consider purchasing a portable pump that’s specifically designed to run on a 12-volt battery instead of electricity.
Correct Drainage Issues
To keep water out of your basement, the ground around your home needs to slope away from the foundation. You can correct an inadequate slope or fix dips and depressions where water collects by adding sufficient topsoil and tamping it down well.
Deter Sewer Backups
When the ground is saturated from heavy rains or runoff, your sewer line is more likely to backup and cause a flood. To avert this, make sure your septic tank is pumped out regularly, have the lines inspected periodically and install a backflow prevention valve on the sewer pipe.
At Sobieski Services, Inc., our goal is to help our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey learn more about energy and home comfort issues – especially HVAC and plumbing issues – so that they can save money and live in healthier, more comfortable homes.
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