Did you know that the National Flood Insurance Program reports floods as the number one natural disaster in the United States? An average of over $3 billion in claims are filed each year. Floods can be tragic for a homeowner, often destroying treasured memories and irreplaceable sentimental items.
Exterior
These are the actions that a basement waterproofing contractor will take to keep your basement dry.
- Cleaning your gutters is essential to keeping water out of your home. When gutters get clogged with leaves and debris, the water spills over the sides, landing directly next to the foundation of your home. If enough water falls, it will find its way inside.
- Extending your gutters at the runoff point can prevent it accumulating too close to the foundation.
- Gradient matters when it comes to where your house sits in the yard. It should be on the top of a slope in all directions to prevent water flowing down from other parts of your yard.
Interior
Once your waterproofing expert does the exterior, it is time to find potential sources of leaks on the inside. It is a meticulous process, as many cracks can be hard to detect, but there are really only two things that need to be done.
- Find the cracks. They could be pinhole leaks to gaping holes in the entire foundation, but before you can say your basement is waterproof, you need to find any and all cracks possible. This will take time.
- Fill the cracks. There are a number of products on the market that seal walls, but perhaps something more heavy duty will work even better. Hydraulic cement is fast setting but effective, although if you’re worried about getting your hand permanently sealed in a bucket of cement, you might want to leave it to a professional.
Whatever you do, the best way to deal with fixing basement leaks is by waterproofing both inside and out. Nobody wants a wet basement, so call a basement waterproofing specialist today!
