Melton Design Build Offers Tips on Preventing Basement Flooding
Melton Design Build in Boulder, Colorado, offers a comprehensive guide to basement/crawlspace flooding prevention marking the one-year anniversary of the flood that devastated Boulder County in 2013.
Prevent basement flooding before it happens
As we saw last year, sometimes flooding is so intense that it cannot be stopped from entering or even demolishing a property. However, for normal years when flooding is present, there are steps you can take to secure your property and keep your basement or crawlspace dry.
Evaluate the risk
- Does the basement flood every year at approximately the same time?
- Where is the basement flooding? Is it at the top of the wall, bottom of the wall or through a floor drain?
Possible solutions
- Clean the gutters.
- Extend and re-direct downspouts away from the foundation wall.
- If the gutters cannot handle the drainage, consider adding additional downspouts and larger gutters to prevent overflow.
- Caulk any cracks on the exterior and interior where water might enter.
- Prevent sewer backup by installing caps or plugs to all sewer openings in the basement.
- Adding a perimeter drainage system can prevent water from entering your home through the walls.
- Add a sump pump or upgrade to a higher capacity unit. Install a pump alarm system to alert you when the pump is not functioning properly.
- Consider landscaping. If it is improperly sloped, water will run toward the home instead of away. Keep landscaping and sprinkler systems 5–10 feet away from the home’s foundation.
Unfortunately, what happens in many cases is that the top of the foundation gets covered up with landscaping when 6–8 inches should remain exposed. In an ideal situation, foundation would stay exposed with an impermeable membrane guarding the foundation underground guiding water to a perimeter drain system, which sends the water to the sump pit. If this doesn’t happen, water gets below the foundation causing settling, which results in foundation cracking. This can be costly to repair and can decrease the value of your investment.
Consider hiring a licensed contractor to help you come up with the combination of solutions that will keep your property safe during the next flood in your area. For more home maintenance and architecture and design tips, sign up for our monthly e-newsletter.
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