Look outside, and what do you see? Now that we’re in March, it means for many that the winter thaw is almost over, and that means puddles and slush everywhere. This excess of water is not good for your home, and can especially hurt your foundation and make a less than pleasant wet basement.
Lucky for you, we have come up with these simple water proofing solutions that will help keep basement water leaks at bay.
Watch your plants
Spring is the perfect time to tend to your garden. However, you will want to be cautious of planting too close to your home’s foundation because when you water it can sometimes pool and cause cracks in the concrete. As a rule of thumb, make sure to place your plants at a minimum of two feet from the foundation and put them low enough in the soil as to not direct water towards the foundation.
Double check your gutters
Chances are, your gutters probably got ignored during the wintertime. Don’t worry, that’s okay! Just make sure to go through and clean them out on the first sunny day you have. Not only will this prevent water from overflowing and pooling at the foundation, but you can also check if there were any damage from ice dams in the process.
Take a new look at your water heater
One of the easiest home waterproofing hacks you can follow is to simply take a look at your home water heater. Does it have any slow leaks? These unnoticed leaks can cause the walls and floor nearby to rot and decay, causing a need for foundation repairs from the inside of the basement, out!
Raise the roof
At the beginning of the spring season, it is a good idea to check a few things:
- The pitch of the roof. Is your roof incredibly steep? The steeper the roof, the faster water will run off. Simply changing the material of the roof can help this.
- An ice dam. Ice dams are tricky and can pop up out of nowhere. Look for different colored patches of your roof, as that is a sign of intense water damage.
- Are the gutters connected properly to the roof? Any gaps can cause water to easily infiltrate the walls of the home.
