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How to Prevent Water Damage in Your Basement

All of the rooms in your home have the potential to get damaged from excess water and humidity, but your basement is among the most at risk. If you have a flood, the basement will probably take on the brunt of the damage, leading to a lot of extensive repairs. Here are some tips for reducing or preventing water damage in the basement.

Have the Basement Waterproofed

The first thing you should consider doing is working on how waterproof your basement is. You might not be able to reduce all risks of floods, but you can at least reduce the type of damage those floods do to the basement. One good thing to do is make sure the entire basement is sealed, including any cracks or holes. If it is made of concrete, that concrete needs to be re-sealed on a routine basis. Another thing you can do is apply a waterproof coating or paint to the interior walls and floors of the basement, which keeps the structure of the basement from being damaged from a flood.

Install a Water Pump

For the times when there is a flood in the basement, you need a way to get the water out as soon as possible. One of the best ways to do this is by having a water pump, called a sump pump. This pump connects to a drainage system that goes outside of your home. It will gather water in the basement when the sensors on the pump recognize excess water in that space. Once it fills up with water, the pump sends water through the drainage system outside of your home's structure. You should also have a backup battery-operated one in case you experience a power outage.

Keep Water Away From Your Home

In some cases, the water isn't coming from inside your home, but outside. In this case, you need to make sure there is a proper system on your roof that keeps water away from the home's structure, which should help keep it out of the basement. This means having a gutter and downspout installed on your roof. When there is a heavy rain, the water should go down the gutter and downspout, and drain a good distance away from your home. In addition to having these installed, you also need to make sure the gutter is kept clean on a regular basis.

Speak to a waterproofing contractor to discuss other ways to help keep your basement dry.


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