Do you live in a dwelling that has a basement? If you answered yes, you understand the importance of keeping your basement clean and dry. A flooded basement can do a lot of damage to your house and even lower its overall value. Therefore, you’ll want to take the proper steps to prevent your basement from flooding.However, this might not always be avoidable. If you happen to have a flooded basement, you’ll need to properly deal with it. Of course, this isn’t an easy task to accomplish. You might have to hire some help to solve the problem. Regardless, you’ll want to get it taken care of as quickly as possible.
Preventing Floods
Before buying a house with a basement, it is a good idea to check out the basement thoroughly. You’ll want to see whether or not it has been flooded in the past. Does the basement have a drain and sump pump? If the basement does, you won’t have to worry about the issue too much. If it does not, you’ll need to think about waterproofing the basement to prevent floods. This is definitely more about prevention than dealing with a flood. Of course, this is an effective way to stop floods.
You’ll want to build a French drain around your basement. Dig around the perimeter from one wall to the other. Make sure that the trench is angled downward to a stopping point. At this end point, you’ll want to install your sump pump. When it rains and the water begins to flow into your basement, it’ll fill the trench. The water will eventually make its way to the sump pump, which will remove the water from the basement. This is a good way to prevent your basement from flooding in the future.
Emergency Repairs
When a disaster strikes, you’ll need to begin some emergency repairs from basement flooding. It is crucial that you remove all wet items from your basement. Make sure to let them dry out thoroughly. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to save all of your belongings. Once you have removed everything, you’ll want to begin searching for the problem. Try to find out where the water is entering the basement. This is your problem area, which will need to be plugged. You could use some sealer to prevent the water from entering. Of course, this is only a temporary fix.
After you have stopped the water from entering your basement, you’ll want to clean out your gutters. This will ensure that your irrigation system is working properly. You should also think about grading your ground away from your basement. This will help to ensure that the runoff water flows away from your basement.
Overall
A flooded basement doesn’t have to be a common problem. Although many people have this problem, very few actually deal with it. Instead, you should work diligently to drain the water from the basement. After this is done, you’ll want to work or hire someone to use methods of preventing the basement from re-flooding.
A flooded basement is a common occurrence for homes with basements. Floods can come from many sources, including storms, high tides, snow melt, and even something as simple as leaving the hose running overnight. The water could have been there for days or even weeks before you notice it. Even if your home has never experienced a flood before, it’s always best to be prepared in case of an emergency. Thanks for sharing a preventive article.