Proper Water Drainage Part 1

With the month of April begins the rainy Spring season and in order to prevent basement flooding there are some important steps to take to maintain your property.  Not maintaining your property can lead to unnecessary water damage and costly repairs and hurt the resale value of your property.

Maintain Gutters and Downspouts:

Install Gutter Guards or Clean Your Gutters every month. 

A rain gutter is only effective if it is free of debris (sticks, leaves etc) so water can freely move down the gutter especially during strong downpours.  The hard Spring rains will test your gutters and property maintenance and having clear gutters is a foundational part to prevent basement flooding to your property.

Direct downspouts away from the foundation:
Ensure downspouts are extended or directed to a location away your foundation. We recommend downspout extensions so the water drains a minimum of three feet but preferably 6 feet away from your foundation.

Lawn Grading

Water flowing away from your foundation is essential to prevent basement flooding and foundation damage.  Proper grading has a gentle slope of about six inches for every ten feet. If your gutters are clear, you install downspout extensions and your yard is properly graded you have significantly decreased the likelihood of water damage from basement flooding.

Proper Landscaping

Never plant trees or large shrubs within 10 feet of your foundation. Installing trees and large shrubs this close to your foundation could lead to foundation damage and water damage from foundation cracks. Foundation repairs can be extremely costly and once they are discovered they need to be addressed by a professional as soon as possible.

Install Sump Pumps

If you have a basement prone to flooding, consider installing a sump pump to remove excess water that collects around the foundation.  If you have a large basement you may need several sump pumps. We have done water damage restoration in basements that had a working sump pump but they still had water damage because the basement was so large.  Additionally consider a battery backup for each sump pump. However these batteries will only last two or three years so they will have to be replaced in order to ensure their effectiveness.

Install A French Drain

A French drain is a trench filled with gravel and a perforated pipe that can help divert water away from the foundation and towards your sump pump. Oftentimes customers that experience water damage will install a sump pump with a French drainage system in order to prevent basement flooding around their foundation and low spots in their basement. 

We cover all of Lehigh Valley, Northampton, Bucks, Montgomery, Delaware and Chester Counties in Pennsylvania.

• We are an IICRC Certified Firm for Water Damage Restoration,
• Offer FREE Estimates
• Work with ALL insurance companies.

CALL 24/7 AFTERCARE RESTORATION 215.515.1000