Spring and summer cleaning is a great time to clear the clutter in your home and get organized. While you’re taking the time to clean out your basement and tidy it up, you may notice a bit of water on the floor. Don’t panic! There’s plenty of ways to fix a small leak in your basement, as well as steps that you can take to help prevent another one from occurring in the future!
Slope/Grading
One of the best ways to prevent water from entering your basement is to ensure that you have a positive slope or grading away from your foundation. Positive slope will cause rainwater to run away from your home instead of towards it. If water runs towards your foundation, it can result in pooling and eventually damage.
If you do not have proper sloping then during the winter, snow can build up against your foundation. This snow can enter into small cracks in your foundation wall and expand/contract with the changing temperatures. Another issue can present itself when the snow begins to melt and the ground thaws. The water can stay against your home and begin to enter your basement.
If you require grading to be completed, experts will begin by rearranging top soil to make sure that the slope is away from your foundation. They will assess the situation to see if there is an approximately three degree difference between the highest and the lowest point of the slope. If necessary, the team will extend the slope all the way to a drainage point, to ensure the water does not sit against your foundation walls.
Not sure if your home has proper grading? Contact the experts at GJ MacRae! Our team will visit your home and help determine whether or not you need additional grading completed in order to keep your foundation safe and dry!
Eavestroughs
Another way to help keep water out of your basement is to ensure that your eavestroughs are cleaned. We suggest cleaning your eavestroughs between three and four times a year to ensure that there is no build up or blockages. This will allow rainwater to travel from your roof to your eavestroughs and then to your downspouts without spilling overtop your eavestrough work.
Another reason why you should always ensure that your eavestroughs and downspouts are clean is because during the winter months, clogged pipes can result in stagnant water. This water can quickly freeze and expand potentially resulting in cracks in your eavestroughs. Depending on the size of your eavestroughs and your downspouts, the excess weight from the ice buildup may even result in your eavestroughs falling down. Not only is this an expensive mess, it can also result in someone being injured!
Many people don’t check their eavestroughs or downspouts because they are not comfortable doing so. That is no problem! If you’re not comfortable checking them yourselves, contact a team of eavestrough experts who can clean them out for you a few times a year. This way you will always have peace of mind knowing that they are clean and ready to do their job!
Downspouts
Many people don’t often check the positioning of their downspouts. Did you know that simply having a disconnected downspout can result in excess water pooling around your foundation and entering your basement? That’s why downspouts are important! Downspouts are designed to carry water away from the perimeter of your foundation walls. , in order to decrease the hydrostatic pressure in the soil. Sometimes peoples’ downspouts don’t carry their water far enough away from their foundation. That’s why many people choose to install downpipe extensions, to push the water even farther away from their homes. Some people connect multiple pipes, use elbows, or opt for flexible options to ensure that the water gets far enough away from the house to keep their basement safe and dry!
Window Wells
If your window wells are not often cleaned or if they are not properly sealed, you could soon be dealing with water in your basement. One of the easiest ways to keep water out of your basement is to ensure that all of your windows have proper caulking. If you notice any wear or cracks in your caulking, it is best to replace it. Although small, this caulking can play a large role in keeping your basement safe and dry.
Another way to keep your window wells safe from leaks, is to ensure that they are clean and have proper drainage. Too often we see basements fill with water after the winter thaw, because water begins pooling in the window wells and entering through small cracks in the foundation walls. More often than not, if you have water sitting against your foundation wall, it is going to enter your home at some point.
Repair Cracks
Cracks are a huge source of leaks in basements. Foundation cracks can be caused by several different things. From homes settling to age and water build-up, to harsh weather, no matter the cause of the crack, repairing it will help to keep water out of your home and prevent it from getting even worse in the future.
If you are walking around your home and notice a crack in your foundation, contact the experts at GJ MacRae. Our team will visit your home, assess the situation, and provide you with an outline of how to properly repair the crack in your foundation.
Install a Drainage System That Works
Another great way to keep water away from your basement and prevent leaks from occurring, is to install a drainage system that works. There are several different types of drainage systems, including weeping tiles, drainage beds, sump pumps, french drains and more. These systems all work together to gather excess water and transport it away from your foundation walls. Not sure if your drainage system is functioning properly? Contact the team at GJ MacRae!
Meet GJ MacRae
At GJ MacRae, our team takes the time to figure out what it is that your home needs and how to provide it. Our team provides our customers with a 15-year transferable warranty. What does that mean? That means that we back our work for 15-years, no matter who owns the home! This shows you how confident we are in the quality of our work, provides you with peace of mind, and also can be used as a great selling point when you put your home on the market!
If you are worried about your foundation leaking in the future, contact GJ MacRae today!
