How To Protect A Basement From Flooding
http://www.homesaaz.net/articles/6498/1/How-To-Protect-A-Basement-From-Flooding/Page1.html
Jacklyn Hartfield
Jacklyn Hartfield tells about the perils of homeowner water issues for Centre Island, NY Water Damage Restoration and East Meadow, NY Water Damage Restoration By Jacklyn Hartfield
Published on 10/26/2008
Your basement, now that it's finished, is a source of joy. Imagine having spent numerous hours arranging and re-arranging things in order to turn your basement into a cozy living space. What's more, a finished basement provides your home an increased value. The last scenario you want to happen is to have a deluge of sewage water seeping into your underground work space or living room.
Your basement, now that it's finished, is a source of joy. Imagine having spent numerous hours arranging and re-arranging things in order to turn your basement into a cozy living space. What's more, a finished basement provides your home an increased value. The last scenario you want to happen is to have a deluge of sewage water seeping into your underground work space or living room. And also, river flooding or flash flooding can turn your new carpet into a big blob of moldy sponge. Because your basement is an investment in terms of money and time, you should do everything to keep that investment safe.
Creating protective and preventive systems against basement flooding would, in the long run, save you more money and lots of hassle. Basement flooding can lead to sewage backup and mold problems. If you don't flood-proof your basement, you might loose not only your carpet but every item stored there.
Now, how do you flood proof your basement?
Set up a levee, flood wall, or any other such flood barriers. These flood-proofing measures may not provide absolute protection for your property when flooding occurs. However, they can help minimize, decrease, or slow down the volume of water that flows into your home giving you a lot of extra time for responsive action.
Double check if you have a sump pump or interior drain. If there's no interior drain in your home, call a service center right away to have it installed. This is much more important if your house stands on a flood plain or areas susceptible to flooding. It would be better also if you have a backup valve installed. This can help prevent sewage from flowing into your home should your pumps malfunction.
Make sure that there's a backup power for your sump pump. A half-hour thunderstorm can ruin hours of work spent to build your home equity. This is why it is important that you get a backup power for your sump pump in case electric power is cut off during the storm. There are two types of emergency power you can choose from: back up battery system and standby generator. Battery systems have limited power capacity, while standby generator offers extensive time of protection but is more expensive.
Assess the structural foundation of your home. Watch out for cracks and weak-appearing parts of the house. If you find any such problem, have this fixed and the foundation reinforced. Also, check if the entryways of your flood barrier system are well-sealed. Always see to it that your flood protection system works properly.
Always see to it that your rain gutters are always clean and the gutter downspouts in order to avoid potential water problems in your basement.
Again, even with working flood protection system, it is always for the better to anticipate basement flooding. Any home can be flooded so the most you can do is to keep potential damages to their minimum. Therefore also, it is wise if you get a flood insurance policy for you'd never know when flooding will your basement and your home.
Creating protective and preventive systems against basement flooding would, in the long run, save you more money and lots of hassle. Basement flooding can lead to sewage backup and mold problems. If you don't flood-proof your basement, you might loose not only your carpet but every item stored there.
Now, how do you flood proof your basement?
Set up a levee, flood wall, or any other such flood barriers. These flood-proofing measures may not provide absolute protection for your property when flooding occurs. However, they can help minimize, decrease, or slow down the volume of water that flows into your home giving you a lot of extra time for responsive action.
Double check if you have a sump pump or interior drain. If there's no interior drain in your home, call a service center right away to have it installed. This is much more important if your house stands on a flood plain or areas susceptible to flooding. It would be better also if you have a backup valve installed. This can help prevent sewage from flowing into your home should your pumps malfunction.
Make sure that there's a backup power for your sump pump. A half-hour thunderstorm can ruin hours of work spent to build your home equity. This is why it is important that you get a backup power for your sump pump in case electric power is cut off during the storm. There are two types of emergency power you can choose from: back up battery system and standby generator. Battery systems have limited power capacity, while standby generator offers extensive time of protection but is more expensive.
Assess the structural foundation of your home. Watch out for cracks and weak-appearing parts of the house. If you find any such problem, have this fixed and the foundation reinforced. Also, check if the entryways of your flood barrier system are well-sealed. Always see to it that your flood protection system works properly.
Always see to it that your rain gutters are always clean and the gutter downspouts in order to avoid potential water problems in your basement.
Again, even with working flood protection system, it is always for the better to anticipate basement flooding. Any home can be flooded so the most you can do is to keep potential damages to their minimum. Therefore also, it is wise if you get a flood insurance policy for you'd never know when flooding will your basement and your home.