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Fact Sheet: Basement Leakage
Unfortunately, you can never totally eliminate basement flooding. There will always be
sump pump failures, power outages and just plain heavy rains that will cause
basements to take on water. But over my many years of water mitigation work, it never
seems to amaze me that a lot of the incidental water penetration into a basement could
be eliminated by some simple household maintenance. The two areas I will focus on
are proper soil drainage and proper gutter maintenance.
As I walk around many homes after a water loss. I have pointed out, to the homeowner,
areas around their homes foundation that invite water penetration. In many homes, the
ground near the foundation has settled and the dirt around the home is sloping toward
the foundation. In these cases adding dirt to these areas will divert the water away from
the home’s foundation. However, do not build these areas up to high with dirt as to
have dirt touch any siding. This will cause moisture problems in the siding and invite
insects. If you do not have enough room to add soil, you may need to take some soil
away. Again, the idea is to get the soil to naturally slope away from your home. The
other issue we run into is when there is a sidewalk that runs along the side of a home
and the water pools between the foundation and the sidewalk. In this case you cannot
just slope the dirt away from the foundation and towards the sidewalk. This could
cause dangerous conditions in colder weather if the water freezes. To fix this problem,
you may need to dig a trench and place a pipe under the sidewalk to remove the
trapped water.
Lastly and possible the most important is make sure that the sump pump drains far
enough away from the homes foundation as to stop the water from returning to the
basement. This will over work the sump pump and cause it to overheat and break.
Everyone knows to keep your gutters and downspout's clean. However, the biggest
reason for water penetration into a basement is when the downspout's are too short or
missing. Again, your downspout's must move the rainwater far enough away from the
foundation so water isn't aloud to pool by the foundation. Also, make sure you replace
the downspout's after you or your lawn service cut the grass. There is nothing worse
then a downspout draining directly along side the foundation.
Unfortunately, you can never totally eliminate basement flooding. There will always be
sump pump failures, power outages and just plain heavy rains that will cause
basements to take on water. But over my many years of water mitigation work, it never
seems to amaze me that a lot of the incidental water penetration into a basement could
be eliminated by some simple household maintenance. The two areas I will focus on
are proper soil drainage and proper gutter maintenance.
As I walk around many homes after a water loss. I have pointed out, to the homeowner,
areas around their homes foundation that invite water penetration. In many homes, the
ground near the foundation has settled and the dirt around the home is sloping toward
the foundation. In these cases adding dirt to these areas will divert the water away from
the home’s foundation. However, do not build these areas up to high with dirt as to
have dirt touch any siding. This will cause moisture problems in the siding and invite
insects. If you do not have enough room to add soil, you may need to take some soil
away. Again, the idea is to get the soil to naturally slope away from your home. The
other issue we run into is when there is a sidewalk that runs along the side of a home
and the water pools between the foundation and the sidewalk. In this case you cannot
just slope the dirt away from the foundation and towards the sidewalk. This could
cause dangerous conditions in colder weather if the water freezes. To fix this problem,
you may need to dig a trench and place a pipe under the sidewalk to remove the
trapped water.
Lastly and possible the most important is make sure that the sump pump drains far
enough away from the homes foundation as to stop the water from returning to the
basement. This will over work the sump pump and cause it to overheat and break.
Everyone knows to keep your gutters and downspout's clean. However, the biggest
reason for water penetration into a basement is when the downspout's are too short or
missing. Again, your downspout's must move the rainwater far enough away from the
foundation so water isn't aloud to pool by the foundation. Also, make sure you replace
the downspout's after you or your lawn service cut the grass. There is nothing worse
then a downspout draining directly along side the foundation.
Emergency Services &
Restoration
Restoration
PAUL DAVIS
| 24/7 Emergency Flood Services Call Us Today 630-499-8002 Emergency Water clean up Flooded basements Broken pipes Fire/Smoke cleanup Board ups If you have a problem or just a question feel free to call. We understand that every water loss does not need to be a claim to your insurance company Give us a call if you have any questions regarding Water or Mold |
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