You don’t have to live in a flood zone to experience basement flooding. It can happen because of excess rain, poor home construction, and many other factors. That’s why 98% of all residential property has some sort of basement water damage.

You can’t afford to let your basement go without protection if you live in an area prone to floods or just want to take precautions. Follow the guide below to learn how to tackle basement waterproofing, regardless of the type of basement you have.

Fix Your Gutters

Your exterior drainage is your first line of defense against flooding. Your gutters work to route water from your roof to a safe location to prevent it from leaking into your home. If they aren’t working right, water can leak in the wrong spots and seep into your home’s foundation.

You’ll start seeing ponding water in your home when this happens. Check your gutters for debris and remove it to keep water running normally. After that, look for gutter damage and fix it to stop water from leaking from your roof in the wrong spot.

Seal Holes and Cracks Inside

Once you fix your outdoor issues, the next step is to tackle your home’s interior. The first step in that process is to seal holes and cracks inside. One way to do this is with hydraulic cement. You can purchase tubes of this cement and easily apply it to cracks in your walls and foundation. The cement will expand once used.

The cement will form a watertight seal when this happens to stop water from entering your home.

Seal Openings

After you seal the cracks in your walls and foundation, the next step is to tackle the openings. That means sealing your doors and windows. In most cases, your installers will install caulking during installation to create a seal. But that caulking breaks down over time and will become less effective. Elastic sealant is a great way to reinforce those seals. It’s easy to apply and will expand over time to create waterproof seals on your openings.

Use Waterproof Coatings

The final step to waterproofing most basements is to apply waterproof coating to your walls. Water can occasionally seep into your walls when wet and make its way into your home. Waterproof coatings will stop this from happening.
Masonry cement will stop water from seeping through. A minimum of two coats is usually enough to provide a good seal.

Talk to Your Insurance Company

You may have more requirements for waterproofing if you live in a flood zone. Insurance is expensive in these areas, and insurance companies will require more to keep their costs low.
Check with your insurance provider to see what your requirements are. Click the following link to learn more about living in a flood zone and your insurance requirements.

Invest in Basement Waterproofing Today

Even with the best home insurance possible, flooding is still a hassle. You’re taking a chance on your insurance company accepting your claim and giving you the payout you need to rehab your flooded basement.

It makes more sense to take a proactive approach and invest in basement waterproofing to stop flooding from happening in the first place. Use the guide above to waterproof your basement to protect your home and furniture in the future.

Check out the blog if you want to find more great homeownership tips every smart homeowner needs to know 5elifestyle.