Basement drainage is extremely important for your home as if there is flooding in the garden or natural landscape outside your home then the first place that is liable to be flooded will be the basement. A lot of homes are sitting on basement and they are very useful if you want to build a new room or use if for some other activity. However, basements are prone to more leaking than other rooms in the house. They can get very damp unless you make plans to prevent water getting in and causing problems. There are various steps you can take to waterproof your own basement.

The first thing you need to do when you are considering basement drainage is to look at the perimeter of the house and make sure that any ground that slopes down is in the direction that is away from the house and not towards it. If there is flooding this will normally be caused by excess water gathering at the bottom of a slope and then leaking through to the basement of the house. While you are at it you should also think about checking your gutters as a vast volume of water accumulates in the roof gutters. If the water is then placed on the ground right next to the foundations of your house then you will find you have issues.

You should also pay special attention to any plants or trees that are too close to your house. When considering basement drainage then you should ensure that these plants do not interfere with the foundations. Any plants should be at least 12 Inches away from the house and if this is not the case then they can cause damage to your home and the foundations.

When it comes to sorting out basement drainage you should ensure that you attempt to waterproof your walls with a chemical product that will stop water coming through. These particular chemicals can act as a sealant and prevent leaks. When the product expands it will dry on the wall. Additionally should think about repairing cracks in the concrete walls of your basement. If there is a crack that goes all the way through form one side to the other to the outside then you should address this problem immediately as water can get into the room. There are many products that can be used for these cracks to seal them up and prevent damage.

Finally, you should consider installing a sump in your basement. This is essentially like a hole in the floor in the basement which has a pump. If the water level rises too high down there then this pump will spring into action and staring pumping water out of the hole. From here it will be removed from the basement and be moved out of the house. The water will be shifted far enough away so that it doesn’t run back down. It is not that easy to install but is very effective. So basement drainage is vital when you want to waterproof your basement.