Water in the Basement? Never…
Recently I performed an inspection near my home in Orange County New York. After several minutes of inspecting the outside of the house I realized we may have some water in the basement issues. The gutters didn’t have extensions, the slope of the land was graded directly into the side of the house, the window wells were clogged and missing covers, etc … With these factors being present I asked the prospective buyer if the homeowner ever mentioned water in the basement. They said they asked the listing real estate agent the same questions and received a very clear answer. “Water? In the basement? Never” In most cases the homeowner and listing agents aren’t present during the inspection so I don’t have the opportunity to ask them questions. The inspection continued and when I got into the basement I soon realized that my exterior observations were correct. There was clearly water in the basement , almost three feet of it at one point. There are many factors that can contribute to a water in the basement issue. Being proactive and taking some simple steps will help you minimize your chances of getting a wet basement during the next rainstorm.
- Extensions on your gutters. The gutter downspouts should extend at least 6-10’ from your house. During a normal rainstorm a full gutter system can discharge over 20 gallons per minute around the base of you house.
- Proper grading. The slope around your house should be at least 1/2” per foot for ten feet.
- Proper window well maintenance. Covers, drainage and sealing
- Properly pitched walkways and patios. Improperly pitched patios and walkways can drain water back towards the house and into the basement or crawlspace.
- Know where your footing drain discharge is and keep it free from debris. A blocked footing drain can cause a basement to flood.
Do you have water in the basement issues of your own? Leave a comment here and let us know how they got resolved.