On a gloomy and wet day, it can be downright disheartening to return home and discover water is entering your house and damaging the interior and your possessions. Consequently, you should take a survey of your house, determine if it’s currently vulnerable to leaks, and take steps to stop them before they start. To learn how to effectively leak-proof your home, focus on these common problem areas.
Check the Roof
A lot of the leaks you might experience come from overhead whenever heavy precipitation falls. Put an end to these by inspecting, repairing, and improving your roof and attic. Look for any damage to the shingles that might have created openings and replace them to seal the area once again. Even if you don’t see any at first, you might find a few gaps when you look from under the roof in the attic. A fully enclosed attic will have an even darkness, but openings in the roof will let in light.
A bare attic may also allow water to enter more easily. You can create a more solid water barricade with spray foam insulation, which will act in conjunction with the roof to halt leaks.
Clean the Gutters
Gutters may not seem all that pivotal, since they comprise just a small portion of your home. In truth, they play a big part in preventing leaks by redirecting water away from your house so that it doesn’t have the chance to accumulate anywhere and eat away at the structure. However, if your gutters are stuffed full of leaves, dirt, sticks, and other debris, they won’t be able to do their job properly. Water will then flow down the sides of your house, where it will end up around your foundation and put pressure on it. Eventually, cracks can form there, allowing water to seep in. You can avert all of this simply by cleaning out your gutters so that water has a clear route to follow.
Waterproof Your Basement
This brings us to the lowest part of the house: the basement. Water doesn’t necessarily fall directly into the room here, but it’s still quite susceptible to leaks because of the water that collects in the ground around it. During a heavy rain, the soil can soak up the water and exert increasing pressure on the basement walls and floor—as well as on the foundation of the house. Over time, this pressure can cause the floor and walls to cave and crack. Water can then easily flood the room through the fresh openings.
To avert this crisis, you should get a professional waterproofing service to install a system to not only block water, but also move it away from the house. A sump pump is an effective solution for existing structures, which often have grading that can’t be tampered with. A sump pump will pump water in the earth safely away from your house, lowering pressure and preventing leaks from forming.
For a Chicago basement waterproofing company with the highest expertise in keeping basements and foundations dry through all weather conditions, get in touch with The Real Seal. In addition to sump pump installation, we have the know-how on multiple techniques to secure your home against unwanted water entry.
