There are fewer things more annoying than arriving home to a basement flood, or walking downstairs and finding mold damage all around and feeling helpless. There can be quite a lot of damage from water logged carpets, cupping hardwood floors, and water damaged drywall. Soaked belongings can likewise be destroyed particularly if the water damage has been going on a long time prior to being found and valuable items like family heirlooms and photo albums will just make matters worse. Fortunately understanding the reasons why basements flood and how to prevent future water damage can help alleviate this annoyance.

In order to fix a basement that’s experienced water damage and help prevent it from happening once more it’s it important to know the origin of the water loss. When homeowners experience wet basements for the first time, it is imperative to determine if the water problems are going to reoccur or if it was a one-time event. Essential to solving this question is determining where the water is coming from. In well populated areas there are various sources of water that can enter a basement and cause damage, firstly after a storm surface water can run down foundation walls and then into the basement. Groundwater in water-saturated soils being pushed into the basement by hydrostatic pressure can also cause major issues. Storm sewer water from the municipal storm sewer system can back up into the home’s existing perimeter foundation drain and leak into the basement. Although this can only happen if the perimeter foundations drain system is connected to the municipal sewer system. Lastly sanitary sewer water from a combined municipal storm/sanitary sewer system backing up into the home’s drain system, can cause sewer water to come up through sink drains and floor drains on lower levels.

To help eliminate, or at least reduce the risk of water damage due to water entering the basement follow these handy tips:

• Dampness or standing water in basements and crawl spaces may be evidence of a plumbing leak or improper drainage, which can lead to structural problems and mold damage which could result in amold company needing to be hired.
• Inspect your homes gutter systems often and remove any debris to prevent blockages.
• If your home is in an area with a lot of trees that loose their leaves, purchasing gutter guards could be a time saving investment.
• Make sure your downspouts extend several feet away from the house to carry water away from the foundation. If they don’t, you can purchase extensions that attach to your downspouts.
• Check where the gutters meet the stucco on the outside of you home, sometimes builders don’t stucco behind the gutter end piece correctly and water could be pouring into your home without you knowing.
• Fill in any low spots around the house and amend any cracked paved areas or paving that slopes towards the house so water drains away from the foundation.
• Inspect door and windows for cracked or missing caulking and replace as needed.
• Check for damage or deterioration around the flashing at chimneys, skylights, vents and other junctions.
• Check the grade of the earth around the house to determine if it slopes towards or away from the house as that may be the source of the water? If they do slope towards the house, an engineer may need to be called to evaluate the situation and come up with an appropriate solutions.
• Investigate your gardens irrigation systems to make sure you are not over watering and causing excessive run-off towards the foundations? Avoid placing lawn irrigation next to the house.