While basement flooding is likely, the conditions that allow it to happen are generally more favorable in springtime. The spring rain, the thawing of snow, and melting soils increase the chance that water will seep into your basement and cause destruction.
When groundwater searches for the path of least resistance, it will often find its way into basements. This passage might be an opening within your foundation wall or on the slab’s floor. There’s also the possibility that it’s entering your room via the cove joint on the floor. Furthermore, cracks in cellar storm doors, window wells, or concrete steps offer water entry points.
Basement Flood Prevention
A flooded basement can pose a severe risk to your family’s well-being and the security of your home. The most effective way to ensure your basement stays dry all year round is to find or repair the most frequent sources of water leakage. Additionally, landscaping and upkeep can be beneficial. These steps can be taken to prevent flooding in your basement.
1. Use Landscaping Techniques
If your property is sloped towards your home, then you need to be able to level it. Rather than leveling the entire yard, you could use landscaping to create features such as swales or drainage ditches that will slow down or divert water away from your home. Your foundation could be shielded from floods by putting flowers in your garden.
Soil erosion is an important cause of flooding and water runoff. However, it can be controlled by planting plants indigenous to the area and improving drainage. Mulch should be spread in layers of a few inches to flower beds and around bushes to keep soil in place and absorb excess water.
2. Check and Repair Gutters and Downspouts
Gutters for a house form the initial barrier between the structure and the rain. For them to function, it is vital to ensure that they are cleaned regularly and maintained.
Eliminate any fallen leaves or other debris that could act as a sponge or stop your downspouts from draining so that water can flow away from the foundation of your house. For little to no cost, you may restore after damage to your property by installing a water diverter or extension to redirect water away from the foundation.
3. Install a Sump Pump
Sump pumps are installed by a company offering services for flood restoration in Westland for homes to collect excess water and drain it from the house. If you live in a flood-prone area, installing a sump pump (or a portable version) is a wise security option. Check it regularly by filling it with water until it turns on to ensure it’s operating correctly.
4. Repair Foundation Cracks
Water may get into your basement through cracks within the foundation. Examine the foundation and walls of the basement of your house for cracks that are a natural occurrence caused by cold weather and the structure’s settling. In most cases, you can patch up small cracks yourself. However, it’s best to engage an expert restoration company in Canton when you have larger cracks.
5. Maintain Pipes and Septic System
It is a quick way to get water in the basement. However, it’s not necessarily the result of some external factor. Therefore, you must inspect and fix your home’s plumbing system.
Sometimes we need to remember when the septic tank was last cleaned and drained. Water from sources like dishwashers, sinks, tubs, washing machines, and toilets is eventually pumped into it. Then, combine this with a raging storm that floods the ground surrounding your home, including your septic tank. It could be a disaster in the making. Regular spring cleaning of your septic tank is essential to ensure it is in good shape.
