Construction & Contractors Blog
If you have noticed that your basement has water seeping through the walls and corners, you may be wondering if there is anything that you can do to help reduce the amount coming in and flooding your basement. If so, there are a couple of outdoor chores that you can do to help at least keep some of the rain, snow, and aboveground water from reaching the basement's outer walls.
1. Make Sure That Your Gutters Are Cleaned Out Regularly
One thing that you can do to help reduce some of the water coming into your basement is to make sure that you keep your gutters cleaned out. While you may believe that taking measures so far above the ground will not make much difference in the amount of water leaking through the foundation, the gutters are the first line of defense against excess rain and melted snow and ice.
If your gutters are too full of dirt, leaves, and other debris, the water will spill over their edges and splash down around your foundation. However, when the gutters are free of any debris, the water is directed to the downspouts that channel the water away from the foundation, helping to reduce its impact on your basement.
Strive to check the gutters at least once a month to ensure that they are not clogged up.
2. Mound Up Dirt or Mulch Along Your Home Foundation's Outer Perimeter
Another chore that you can perform outside of your home to help reduce the water coming into your basement is to ensure that there is a mound of dirt or mulch around the outer perimeter of your house. If there are any gulleys around the foundation or hills that direct water toward it, these problem areas will cause water to pool and eventually leak into the basement.
When placing the mounds, make sure the dirt or mulch is packed firmly against the sides of the foundations. Then, create a slope that directs the water at least a few feet away from the house.
While performing the above outdoor chores can help reduce the amount of above-surface water that reaches your basement, groundwater, and damage to the foundational walls can still cause water to leak through. In these cases, you will need to have a professional take measures to resolve the issues. Contact a contractor who offers basement waterproofing services to have them find any problem areas and discuss possible solutions with you.
Share10 December 2020
My name is Debbie Greenberg. I’m a single woman who owns her home, and like most homeowners I dread home repairs. I’m not very handy with do-it-yourself projects around the house. I can do a few minor repairs when necessary, but for the most part I have to call in a professional. Last year I had a leak in my roof. When it rained, water would leak into my kitchen. What appeared to be a simple fix turned out to be anything but simple. It took over four months to finally identify the problem, and double the money I was initially quoted to fix it. The problem ended up being that the flat part of my roof didn't have shingles, but a sheeting material. I learned a bit about home roofs along the way, and that is what I want to share with you.
