8 Easy Tips to Prevent Basement Floods

Basement floods can be damaging, costly, and overwhelming. Just one storm or blocked gutter can lead to a flooded basement that requires a lot of money and time to clean up. However, you can follow a few simple action steps to help prevent basement floods from happening in the first place.

Just in case of an incident, you also might want to take the time to get set up with the proper homeowners insurance. An independent insurance agent can help you. But first, here's a guide to how to prevent your basement from flooding.

8 Tips to Prevent Basement Flooding

The key to protecting your basement from flooding is to take preventive measures well before heavy rain hits or a clogged gutter overflows and causes a disaster. Follow these eight tips to help prevent indoor flooding ASAP so you can look forward to a dry basement for years to come.

Step 1: Clean Out Gutters and Check All Downspouts

Your gutters and downspouts capture water and carry it away from your home. Clean out your gutters regularly to prevent overflowing that can dump water at your foundation, especially when leaves start falling from the trees in your yard. You can also hire professionals to clean your gutters routinely. 

Also, check to make sure downspouts direct water at least five feet away from your foundation. Many homes don't have this as a standard feature. You may need to purchase extension pieces and install them on whichever downspouts are in need.

Step 2: Examine the Slope of Your Yard

Your yard should slope away from your home to allow rainwater and other runoff to flow away from the foundation naturally. If the yard doesn't slope away from your home, it will direct water to the home's foundation, and water could end up seeping inside. If your yard slopes toward your home, you can pay to have it regraded or take on the project yourself.

Step 3: Examine Your Home's Foundation

Repair your home's foundation if necessary ASAP. Any cracks allow for water to more easily enter the home. You can fill foundation cracks with epoxy. If the problem is beyond your abilities, it might be best to call in a professional.

Step 4: Maintain Your Home's Landscaping

Trees and shrubs can lead to cracks in your home's foundation due to the growth of their roots. These roots can cause basement walls to crack, creating another pathway for water to enter the home. Branches that get too close to the home can also cause damage, so be sure to keep up with pruning nearby plantings.

Step 5: Install or Examine Your Sump Pump

If you don't have a sump pump already, now is the time to install one. Sump pumps can be used to remove water from the home before it causes a flood. After the water is removed from the home, the sump pump directs it to a drainage system close by.

If you already have a sump pump, make sure it's in good working order. Many homeowners aren't aware that anything's wrong with their sump pump until a storm hits and flooding occurs. Sump pump failures are the cause of many basement floods, so be sure to check yours before a storm hits. Sump pumps can be fairly easy to install and replace yourself if necessary, but you may also need to hire a professional.

Step 6: Install a French Drain

You might also want to consider installing a French drain, which is a perforated drainage pipe. French drains are buried beneath a layer of gravel and greatly help mitigate basement flooding. During a storm, water soaks into the ground and enters a French drain system, if one exists on the property, and is routed away to a dry well or ditch. As with sump pump installation, French drain installations can be done yourself or by hiring a professional.

Step 7: Seal Your Basement's Floor and Walls

Even if you can't see an opening in your basement with your naked eye, water can still enter your home through it. Water has a way of finding any openings in a home's foundation or basement walls and floors. Make sure to inspect and upgrade all weather stripping and caulking in and around your home's basement to help prevent indoor flooding. All openings should be sealed right away. Again, if you're unsure of how to complete this task yourself, you can hire a professional.

Step 8: Get the Right Insurance with the Help of an Independent Insurance Agent

A home insurance policy won't cover all causes of basement flooding. You might want to get a separate policy known as flood insurance in case your home floods due to natural causes, like a storm. An independent insurance agent in your area can help you get set up with both homeowners insurance and flood insurance long before a disaster occurs.