How To Prevent Basement Flooding

31 August 2016
 Categories: , Blog

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During periods of heavy rainfall, or even during periods of light rainfall depending on the capacity of your sump pump and the condition of your home's foundation, water can seep its way into your basement and collect, causing widespread water damage and promoting mold and mildew growth. This is an expensive and time consuming problem to fix and one that can repeat itself if you do not take the proper steps to prevent it from happening. Thankfully, there are a number of simple things that you can do to help ensure that your basement is not susceptible to flooding.

Cleaning the Roof and Gutters

One of the easiest and most effective ways to prevent basement flooding from occurring is to ensure that your roof and gutter systems are clean. While this may seem counter-intuitive, as both are on the opposite side of your home, a roof or gutter system that is clogged with sticks and other debris can prevent water from draining properly. Rain and melted snow will drip over the sides of your roof and your gutters, soaking into the ground by the walls of your home and then into the foundation. Ensure that your gutters and roof are clean and in good shape and that your downspouts are installed so that they can properly move rain water away from your home.

Repair Cracks

Before the rainy season starts, its a good idea to walk around your basement and inspect the walls for any signs of damage or cracking. Small cracks can be filled in using a concrete epoxy and a putty knife, both of which are available at most hardware stores. For larger cracks and signs of crumbling or structural failure, you should contact a professional immediately to have your walls repaired. Additionally, you can purchase waterproof concrete sealant that can be applied to bare concrete to prevent minute amounts of water from seeping through the concrete, which can occur even in the absence of damage.

Sump Pumps

You should check your sump pump at least once a month to ensure that it is working properly. Make sure that it's plugged in and that there are no visible signs of damage. You can also pour water into the sump pit directly to test that your pump is working properly. You may want to also consider having a water powered backup sump pump installed. These sump pumps will work if your main pump fails due to a power outage or another reason, and they use water pressure to remove water from your home's foundation before it can flood your basement. 

For more assistance, contact a company like Minnesota  Disaster Restoration Services.