Water can enter your basement because of flash floods, drainage problems, failure of any appliance, or due to many other reasons. It can lead to serious damages in the form of health issues, architectural damages, and financial burdens. Here are a few things that you can do to stop water from entering your basement –
- If you have blocked gutters, the roof water will get drained directly into the foundation of your house, which will increase the chances of floods in your basement. So clean the leaves, branches, dirt, and debris from your gutters after every regular interval. Tighten the loose spout extensions and gutter straps and regularly pour water through your downspouts to keep them running and clean.
- The next step to keep the water away from your basement is to ensure that your downspouts are at least 5 feet away from the foundation of your house. Your engineers and architect can easily manage this by adding metal extensions and plastic to your downspouts, or you can install an underground pipe for drainage. Such a drainage system can send the water away from your property.
- The third thing you can do is check for cracks in your concrete walls and floors and inspect the plumbing pipe for gaps. Such gaps and cracks can allow unwanted water to seep inside your basement walls, causing a serious water intrusion. You can use hydraulic cement or polyurethane caulks to seal such cracks and gaps. You need to repair the groundwater drainage system for water intrusion through the floor.
- If you are facing serious water seepage issues, you can consider installing a french drain. It is a sort of a curtain drain, and this type of drainage comes with a series of pipes running under the ground to divert the water away from the foundation of your house.
- Have you noticed any condensation yet on your basement walls? Well, it can be controlled by applying good quality sealants on your walls. You can go for basement wall waterproofing using waterproofing paint, waterproof panels, plastic sheets, concrete coating, silicate-based sealers for floor and walls, etc. Also, you can go for foundation waterproofingto protect the exteriors of your house. This will involve fixing the gaps in your home’s foundation, but it is a very expensive job and requires excavation around your property.
- To prevent water from entering the basement, install a sump pump. This device can protect your home against floods by pumping away the accumulated water into the sump basin. If the level of water in your basement rises, then the sump pump device can automatically discharge the excess water outside your house. So, it is a must-have device if you regularly face water problems.
Therefore, if your basement is already flooded with water, you need to contact a foundation waterproofing company today only to avoid the damage. But, if you are seeing signs of water seepage in your basement, then there is still time, and you must follow the tips mentioned above to stop this problem from worsening.
