5 Tips To Prevent Basement Water Damage

Basements are the most common place for water damage to occur within a home. Basement water damage can happen due to a number of reasons. Flooding from outside, broken/burst pipes, and broken water heaters or other appliances are just a number of common ways that home basements suffer water damage. Not all water damage is preventable, but there are some precautions you can take to reduce the risk of water damage happening to you. Below are five helpful tips for what you can do to keep water damage out of your basement as recommended by our professional restoration experts at ERX in Henderson.

Clean The Rain Gutters Frequently

A host of problems can develop if you don’t keep your rain gutters cleaned. Only one of which is water damage in your basement. This occurs as the rain gutters overflow and water spills out of them near the foundation of your home. Because the water is accumulating so close to the foundation, it doesn’t take long for it to find any weak spots in your foundation and leak into your basement. Be sure to clean out the rain gutters and consider having them inspected routinely to make sure they are working optimally.

Inspect For And Repair Cracks In The Foundation

Water has a way of finding and exploiting weak spots in your foundation. Thus, if you do have these weak spots it is probably only a matter of time until water begins leaking into your basement. You should take the time to have your foundation regularly inspected for cracks and weak spots. If you detect any, have them repaired immediately before any problems have time to develop. On a side note, be sure to have the basement area inspected for mold. Any signs of mold growth can indicate a water problem that you might not notice otherwise. 

Keep A Sump Pump On Hand

If your home has a sump pump, you’ve already got a great tool in your arsenal for preventing water damage. However, simply owning a sump pump doesn’t give you a “get out of jail free” card – you’ve got to maintain it too.

If you know a storm is headed your way, check to make sure your sump pump is working properly and is plugged in. Also, consider investing in a generator for your sump pump and a replacement to keep on hand, just in case you lose power or the pump fails when you need it most. Keep in mind, if your basement floods as a result of a broken sump pump, your homeowner’s insurance may not cover the damage.

Inspect Sewers And Septic Systems

The worst-case scenario for water damage is when the water contains sewage. Not only is the sewage extremely hazardous to your health, but it also leads to much more severe damage. To keep this from happening to you, you should have your sewer or septic tank regularly cleaned and inspected. It may be a hassle to get the inspection set up, but it could save you from a very messy situation down the road.

Landscape Your Yard Properly

Proper landscaping is a surprisingly important factor for preventing flood damage in your basement. Landscaping features as trivial as the slope of your yard or the shape of your flower bed can cause or prevent flooding. The basic principle to follow here is to slope your yard so water drains away from your home and so that water doesn’t just pool in one spot.

Hopefully, these tips will help you keep water damage out of your basement and out of your home. Nonetheless, if you do experience water damage of any kind, don’t hesitate to give us a call at ERX in Henderson.