Due to the below grade positioning of basements, they are the most likely place to experience damp and flooding in the home. As we know all too well, this can lead to a variety of issues such as poor air quality and mold problems, even rotting of the foundations. Although there are many reasons why a basement could be damp (some of which are harder to treat) what are some ways we can prevent water from entering a basement?
Pooling water around the homes foundation is a major reason that basements become damp. This pooling is often caused by leaking gutters and downspouts. Check that they are properly installed and that gutters are cleaned out regularly. It’s important that water is diverted away from the foundation, so downspouts need to be positioned to drain away from the house in order to prevent pooling, 10 feet away is best.
Another reason for water to pool around the foundation is if there is an uneven or inadequate grade (or slope). To fix this problem, you may need to even out some of the uneven areas.
If your home is situated at the base of a hill or incline, water may need to be diverted away from the house. One way of doing this is with small ditches known as swales. These swales ideally need to be about 10 to 15 feet away from the house in order to prevent water runoff from getting to the houses foundation
While there are many options for treating water damage in a basement, doing whatever we can to prevent it is the best kind of treatment. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or if you would like to schedule an inspection of your basement.
Pooling water around the homes foundation is a major reason that basements become damp. This pooling is often caused by leaking gutters and downspouts. Check that they are properly installed and that gutters are cleaned out regularly. It’s important that water is diverted away from the foundation, so downspouts need to be positioned to drain away from the house in order to prevent pooling, 10 feet away is best.
Another reason for water to pool around the foundation is if there is an uneven or inadequate grade (or slope). To fix this problem, you may need to even out some of the uneven areas.
If your home is situated at the base of a hill or incline, water may need to be diverted away from the house. One way of doing this is with small ditches known as swales. These swales ideally need to be about 10 to 15 feet away from the house in order to prevent water runoff from getting to the houses foundation
While there are many options for treating water damage in a basement, doing whatever we can to prevent it is the best kind of treatment. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or if you would like to schedule an inspection of your basement.
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