When Your Basement Leak Isn’t From Your Basement

More often than not, many homeowners are not sure of why their basement is leaking, and it’s up to the professional staff at Tom’s Basement Waterproofing to get to the bottom of their dilemma. What these homeowners typically find is that we often spend more time outside of the basement to find the culprit of your water and leakage problems.

Exterior Basement Water Problems

When your basement is leaking due to exterior problems, the main reason will be due to the area surrounding your home or property. Your foundation is the basis of how your home will hold up against the elements. When your foundation is weak, issues arise, such as water in your basement. This may be due to the water table in your ground rising from too much rainfall, or your soil is improperly balanced across your lawn, and isn’t dispersing the water correctly. When the soil in your lawn becomes over saturated, it starts to expand and places pressure against the foundation of your walls. If there is even a slight irregularity in the foundation of your home, this will allow of water to find an entrance into your basement. While we know that you cannot control the weather, you can take a few preventative measures to minimize this issue in the future, if you think your home may be susceptible to water issues.

• Keep your gutters clean – Exterior irrigation systems are installed around your home to make sure that water is moving away from your foundation. When there are clogged rain gutters and short spouts, this increases the chances of water pooling around your foundation and into your basement. Even the most moderate rainfall could cause these issues to come to light, so keep your area free of debris.
• Extend your downspouts – How far should your downspouts be away from your home? A rule of thumb with Tom’s Basement Waterproofing is at least 10 feet away from your home. When the water is able to move further away from your home, the less vulnerable the soil around your foundation will become. This is especially important if the soil around your walls has already experienced flooding, as it could leave permanent damage.
• Landscape should be designed to fit your specific home – This includes making sure the grade of your soil is moving away from your home. Additionally, if any foliage is taken into consideration for landscape, it should always assist the foundation of the home, and never compromise it by over-saturating an area due to watering.

The exterior of your home is just as important as the interior, when it comes to long-term maintenance for you and your family. Keep your property safe by checking with Tom’s Basement Waterproofing for more tips on how to keep water at bay!