Most of the country might be stuck in the throes of winter, but spring will be here before we know it — and with it will come a thawing of all this snow, as well as torrents of springtime rain. Where else will this excess water have to go but into your basement?
And if you’ve noticed that your home’s basement is prone to frequent water leaks, it might be doing more harm to your house’s structure in the long run than meets the eye. Water damage is responsible for causing thousands of dollars in damage and can lead to even more dangerous effects such as mold growth.
To make basement cracks and leaks a thing of the past and prevent the need for costly foundation repairs, consider taking these three super-effective steps against basement water leaks.
Keep your gutters clean
When was the last time you cleaned your gutters? If you don’t know the answer, you might be contributing to all that water that’s leaking into your basement! Clogged gutters aren’t able to drain rainwater away from your house like they’re supposed to, and allow water to pool around your home’s foundation. At the end of the winter, it’s imperative that you remove all leaves and debris from your gutter. In addition, you should think about installing leaf guards and extending your gutter spouts so they direct water at least 10 feet away from your home.
Raise the slope of the ground around your home
Another great way to keep your basement dry is to make sure the ground around your house slopes down and away from it — either through natural placement of the house on top of a hill or by artificially creating a slope. Ideally, the slope should be about one-fourth inch per foot or steeper, with the highest point at the perimeter of your house. This will allow excess water to drain away from your home, not into it.
Consider investing in a foundation sealing or basement water proofing solutions
If you really want to prevent against any and all basement water leaks, a foundation sealing or water proofing is the way to go. These professionally-performed procedures do just as the name says — water proof your basement — so no water comes in. It will cost much less than the cost of a foundation repair, and these procedures can even help boost the property value of your house.
Want to know even more about keeping basement water leaks at bay? Ask any questions you have about water proofing solutions by leaving a comment below.
