A wet basement can lead to some serious home repair issues. Thankfully, tackling a leaky basement isn’t as difficult as you may think. Here are five ways to keep your basement dry.
- Pitch your landscaping – Is your landscaping pitched — or tilted — toward your home? If so, water could be collecting near your foundation and entering your basement. For a quick fix, pile dirt near your foundation and angle it away from your home. Properly pitched landscaping moves water away from your basement, helping you avoid leaks.
- Clean your window wells – Clogged window wells act as water reservoirs. Eliminate window leaks by cleaning out any leaves, sticks or other debris from your wells. Add fresh gravel to the bottom of your window wells to boost water drainage. For an additional fix, install window well covers and drains.
- Install downspout extensions – Shortened downspouts sometimes dump water near the base of your home, resulting in basement leaks. Add downspout extensions to move drainage away from your foundation. Avoid damage to your extensions — and upgrade the look of your yard — by covering them with a French drain. Interior french drains cost between $1,000 – $5,000, on average.
- Add rain diverters to your roof – Rain diverters keep rainwater from draining onto sensitive areas around your home. If you notice water collecting near your foundation, use rain diverters to move roof runoff elsewhere.
- Lay splash blocks – Splash blocks are concrete or stone squares that direct water runoff away from your foundation. Depending on your yard, splash blocks come in several sizes and materials. Installing concrete sidewalks along the side of your home also helps keep water out of your basement.
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