Basement Waterproofing Prepares You

November 5, 2021
Basement waterproofing
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Let’s face it. The Atlantic region is seeing more and more heavy rain. August and September were particularly harsh as the remnants of tropical storms and hurricanes lingered over the area. Flash flood watches and warnings are becoming more common each year.

If you made it through unscathed after the recent heavy rains, or just had a little water in the basement, you should consider yourself lucky. You might not be so lucky next time.

The remnants of Hurricane Ida caused basement flooding all up the Mid-Atlantic and East Coast region. For most people, this was mainly property damage, but in the New York City, several people died due to flooding of their basement apartments.

In New Jersey, home security camera footage shows a man walking through his family’s flooded basement when the wall collapses, letting in floodwaters.

As basement waterproofing specialists, we have seen our share of flooded basements. We know that there are ways you can prepare for when the rain comes. Keep reading to learn how to avoid a wet or flooded basement in the future.

Pay Attention to Signs that You Need Basement Waterproofing

First of all, make a habit of going down to your basement at least once a week. If you have a finished basement, you’re probably already down there at least that often. Look and smell for the following signs that you need basement waterproofing:

A damp, musty smell
Wet carpet
Puddles on the concrete floor, or water stains
Mold or mildew growth
Efflorescence (a chalky substance on the walls)
Cracks in the walls or concrete floor
Bulging basement walls

If you see any of these signs in your basement, you should find where the water is coming in, and contact a few basement waterproofing companies near you to get assessments and estimates. You need a permanent solution to prevent the situation from getting worse.

Another anecdotal sign that you may need basement waterproofing is if your neighbors have water in their basements. Homes that are built around the same time tend to have their damp-proofing systems that were part of construction fail around the same time. If your home is more than 10 years old, these measures are likely failing.

New homes are not necessarily safe from water intrusion either. Builders typically offer a 2-year warranty against water intrusion. They perform damp proofing but do not provide a warrantied, long-term solution for your basement.

What Basement Waterproofing Does

Professional basement waterproofing helps protect the structural integrity of your home, and keeps your basement dry in all but the most extreme instances. With a French drain system and one or more sump pumps, the water in the saturated ground outside drains OUT of your walls and down into the interior French drain, where it is then channeled to the sump pit.

The sump pump then pumps the water up, out, and away from your home. The basement waterproofing systems we install have a lifetime transferable warranty. We also offer ongoing service to our customers, so if you should need a new sump pump, we can help.

Be Doubly Prepared with a Backup Sump Pump and Insurance

We would be remiss if we didn’t mention the importance of having a battery-powered backup sump pump. A backup pump will kick into action if your primary pump fails, or if the power goes out. The best basement waterproofing system in the world won’t protect you if you only have one pump and it fails.

We would also recommend that if you have a sump pump, that you add a sump pump rider to your homeowner’s insurance policy. They’re relatively cheap, and will cover a stated amount of losses if you have water damage because your sump pump failed. In many cases, the same rider covers losses due to sewage backup. Some of these policies require a battery backup sump pump.

Be Prepared. Schedule Your FREE Basement Inspection

If you’ve had even the slightest bit of water in your basement, or it’s damp and musty, or if you’re considering remodeling or finishing your basement, do yourself a favor. Schedule a FREE basement inspection. Our inspectors have years in the business, and can evaluate your basement and make recommendations. You are under no obligation.

Basement waterproofing offers a permanent solution that helps you protect the structural integrity of hour home and your family’s health at the same time. To schedule your inspection, fill out the contact form or call us at (888) 768-2583. We serve serving homeowners in Maryland, Washington DC, northern Virginia, Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan counties in West Virginia, and parts of Delaware.

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