At Reliant Restoration, we’ve seen our fair share of flood basements in both old and new homes. Not only is a flooded basement damaging to carpet and furniture, but it can result in mold growth, electrical dangers, and more. People often wonder what they could have done differently to safeguard their basement from flooding.
The hard truth is, sometimes accidents happen. Whether it’s from a freak storm, a drain backup, or a burst pipe, any basement is susceptible to flooding. Still, there are a number of actions you can take to greatly reduce your risk of a basement flood.
- Seal cracks in walls
- Inspect your foundation
- Check your gutters and drainage pipes
- Install the sump pump
One underappreciated method of flood prevention, however, is strategic landscaping. Strategic landscaping can not only significantly reduce the chances of your basement flooding, but it will improve your curbside appeal and general home value.
Better Looking, Less Leaking
The true key to keeping your basement from flooding is to keep water away from the foundation of your home. While gutters are a critical part of diverting water, they’re only handling what’s hitting your roof. Plenty of rain and snow still hit the ground surrounding your home.
If your lawn is angled towards your house, or even if it’s flat, much of this precipitation will head straight towards your foundation. Landscaping provides a great opportunity to slope your lawn away from your home, resulting in water moving away from your foundation.
You can also create specific drainage paths that run around your home, diverting all water into the same direction. Some people choose to direct this towards a pond or a rain garden, which is of course designed to hold the water.
To further protect the foundation of your home, you can establish native vegetation which protects and nurtures your soil, increasing its ability to retain water.
Lastly, one trend that’s increasing in popularity is decorative rain barrels. Placing rain barrels around your home not only helps to collect rain, but it can be used to recycle water. Some people use this to water plants or wash their car. Whatever you do, just make sure the barrels are emptied from time to time.
Any Basement Can Flood
As we said before, even with the best practices followed, every basement is susceptible to flooding. If that happens, you will want to contact a specialized emergency repair company immediately.
Not only does a flood basement cause general wear and rot, but it can quickly lead to the development of mold, which comes with its own dangers. Rather than trying to clean things out yourself, save yourself the hassle and contact a professional.
For water damage repair and mold remediation in Springfield, Ohio, contact Reliant Restoration today!