Flood Prevention: Basement Waterproofing

If your home has serious damage due to fire, wind, or water, call us immediately at 919-467-1991. We will show up soon and work fast to stop any further damage and begin the restoration process. We can work with your insurance company to make sure you pay as little as possible. We’re available around the clock, 7 days a week.

A common question asked after recovering from a serious flood is what can be done to prevent it from happening again. There’s no way to completely prevent any type of water incident, but there are ways to minimize the risk.

Homes with basements are more prone to flooding that homes without, for the obvious reason that part of the structure is below ground. After a heavy rain, the ground may have trouble absorbing all the water, and it may spill into your basement through cracks and gaps in the bricks or concrete.

There are ways that you can waterproof your basement to prevent it from flooding, but it’s not a small project that can be done in an afternoon. It’s something that’s best done during the construction phase, but can be done as a remodeling project, even years after your home was built.

Beginning with the outside of the building, there are several key areas to focus on.

• Observe the ground surrounding your home. If the ground slopes down towards your house, that’s exactly where the water will flow. Try adding dirt near the walls to direct the water away, instead.
• Gutters and downspouts should extend at least 5 feet away from the building. This can be done easily, using simple extensions placed on the existing drainage pipes. The goal is to keep the water from draining directly on the foundation.
• Plants, brush trees, and gardens should be places more than 12 inches from the walls. Root systems can directs water down and towards the foundation is planted too closely.

Once the outside of your basement is protected, there are steps you can take from the inside, as well.

• Apply a coat of waterproofing pain to the walls and floor, such as Drylok. It will help keep the air dry, which will prevent mold or mildew from growing. Note that waterproof paint is different that water sealer, which would not work as well for this purpose.
• Seal up any cracks or joints in the walls and flooring. Dry packing is a great way to ensure these minor faults don’t become a major liability in the future.

If it’s already too late, and you’re wishing you had known this before your basement was a shallow swimming pool, call us today on our 24/7 emergency hot line at 919-467-1991. Our team of certified trained professionals are standing by to help you in your time of need. We’ll work with you and your insurance company to put your home back in order and keep your out of pocket costs to a minimum.