How to Prevent a Flooded Basement
During heavy rains, a flooded basement is a legitimate concern. To help keep your below-ground basement dry, here are some proactive steps you can take to help prevent a flooded basement. Keep your gutters and downspouts clean Gutters that are full of detritus can block the free flow of water during rainstorms. If the water does not flow freely, it can pool up against your home’s foundation and seep into the basement. And if you don’t like getting on a ladder to clean the gutters, consider installing a leaf guard system. Your downspouts should have extensions on them to direct water at least three feet away from your house. Install a sump pump Sump pumps are responsible for pumping excess groundwater from the basement or crawl space to the outside of your home. They are installed underneath the floor of basements and crawl spaces to collect groundwater before it can threaten to flood your home. Groundwater can easily rise through the cracks in the foundation of your home during long periods of rain, and the sump pump helps prevent that from damaging your basement. Repair your foundation cracks A crack in a foundation is not going to repair itself. A [...]