Spring Tips: How to Stop Flooding in Basement

Basement flooding has always been a problem in homes. It’s even more of an issue these days since many homeowners have converted their basements into living spaces, home offices, and dens.

Any moisture that makes it into your basement can quickly cause water damage, which can be expensive and time-consuming to repair. It also poses a health hazard— a chronically wet basement becomes ground zero for mold growth that can affect the entire home.

We’ve put together this guide with the top 4 precautions you should take this spring to keep your basement dry and protect your home.

Grade The Landscape

The contour of the landscape surrounding the perimeter of the home should slope away from the house. During rainy periods, this prevents water from pooling and soaking into the ground around the foundation, eventually entering the basement through minute cracks and crevices.

Clean Your Gutters

Overflowing gutters hammer the ground directly below with cascading water during heavy rain or rapid snowmelt. This deluge can penetrate the foundation and infiltrate your basement. Check your gutters for obstructions and clean them when necessary. You should also make sure gutter downspouts extend far enough away from your house so discharged water doesn’t soak into the foundation and basement.

Install a Sump Pump

A sump pump installed on the basement floor will automatically pump infiltrating groundwater through a discharge line into the backyard. A foundation drainage system in the ground around the perimeter of the foundation will also channel groundwater away from the house.

Install a Sewage Backflow Valve

Sewage backup can result from an obstructed sewer line or a flooded municipal system. Toxic sewage reflux entering your home first emerges through drains in the lowest point of your house —the basement. A backflow protection valve installed by a qualified plumber prevents this from happening.