Do’s and Don’ts for Waterproofing Your Basement

A flooded basement is a nightmare for every homeowner. flooding is one of the most common and most expensive types of natural disasters that happen in the United States each year. but a lot of the water damage that occurs in residential basements doesn’t come from Rivers overflowing their Banks or natural disasters.

Instead many times when water enters a basement it is because of preventable causes. here are some common do’s and don’ts to make sure your basement stays dry.

Do – maintain your rainwater system

The first goal of keeping you are basement dry is to keep water away from the foundation of your house. You have an entire system designed to help you do this. it is the gutters and downspouts and drain pipes outside of your home.

Many homeowners neglect routine care of downspouts and gutters. sure this might save an hour or two on a beautiful fall day, but when clogged gutters are downspouts lead to pooling water dripping right next to your foundation, it can lead to thousands of dollars of damage and repair.

Regularly clean your gutters. Keeping leaves and debris out of gutters helps the water go where you want it to go. If you see that your downspout is not draining, solve the problem immediately or hire someone to do it.

Don’t – ignore small problems

“Oh that’s just a tiny back up in my gutter,” you might say to yourself.

“That’s just a really small crack in the foundation,” you think.

“Oh, it is normal for water to pull up next to the side of the house,” you might tell your spouse.

However, each of these is a warning sign of big problems coming. The correct time to address small water problems in your basement and Foundation is while they are still small water problems.

Do – completely clean up after any water event

It is normal to think that minor flooding or backups in your basement will naturally vent out and evaporate. Sure, water does that, but not fast enough to prevent the growth of mold and mildew.

Ss soon as the event has passed and you see water in your basement you should work to dry it up with mops towels a Shop-Vac and finally fans or a blow dryer.

If it is a matter of water on concrete, you can likely do this yourself. However, if water has touched drywall or wood in your basement you should consider contacting a professional to do an inspection and/or clean up.

Do – contact a professional for clean-up and repairs

Professional cleaning services and waterproofers are trained to look for water, mold, and mildew in places where the average homeowner might never find it.

Their expertise and experience might seem expensive at first. That’s okay. What you are paying for is peace of mind that nothing got missed.

The same goes for repairs. An over-the counter sealant might be the right answer for certain types of leaks. or perhaps a drain plug is sufficient for your situation.

A Professional Service can look closely inside and out to identify causes and impacts of your water problem. They’ll know when a crack is merely a crack, or when it is a sign of foundational slippage. And they’ll be able to point you in the right direction to get the repair that matches your situation.

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