There are many causes and many ways that water can get into your basement and cause flooding or other damage. How can you prevent basement flooding?
Basement flooding can be an all-too-common occurrence and a potentially a serious problem.
Basement flooding has many consequences. Apart from the damages and mess, respiratory problems can result from chronically wet houses; there is potential for long-term damage to your home’s structure; an increase in insurance rates; and the depreciation of property value.
Some causes of basement flooding cannot be avoided or controlled by a homeowner, such as overflowing rivers or other natural disasters. But water can get into basements for a number of other reasons.
If your basement tends to flood during periods of heavy rain or rapidly melting snow, you could have a leak in the basement walls through basement wall cracks.
There could be poor drainage on your lot, or overflowing gutters or plugged downspouts could be the culprit.
Less-common reason for basement flooding include a blocked connection between your home and the main sewer in the street, or a backup of wastewater in the sewer system or your private septic tank.
If water is getting into your basement, the best way to diagnose the problem is to work your way down, starting with the gutters and downspouts.
If your gutters are clogged or your downspouts are not working properly to divert water away from your home, water can drain directly into the ground around your foundation.
Check to make sure your downspouts extend at least six feet from your basement wall, and make sure the water drains away from your house toward the street or the backyard.
If your gutters and downspouts are working correctly, inspect for foundation cracks and check your lot’s grading. If the land around your home slopes toward your home’s foundation, that could be a real problem.
Homes settle over time, which may cause the land around a home to slope. In that case, you may need to consider filling in and grading the lot so that the land slopes away from the house and not toward it.
Depending on the severity of the problem, it may make sense to install one or more flood-proofing devices such as sump pumps or backflow valves.
A qualified basement waterproofing specialist can help determine where water is coming from, what is needed and can create a preventive plan for your home.
For more information on basement crack repair in Boston contact A-1 Foundation Crack Repair.
Seattle Times