Spring Is Coming. Is Your Home Prepared?
Spring is coming to Chicago! Well, eventually. With temperatures starting to get a bit warmer over the next two months, snow will be melting and rain will be coming. This means a lot of water will suddenly be sitting all around your home. No one wants the headache of a flooded basement just because our area is finally getting up above freezing on a good day.
The good news is the spring thaw and April showers don't have to mean flooding in your home. Get ahead of spring flooding with these easy steps.
Optimize Water Drainage
Gutters, downspouts, and proper grading are all important factors for water drainage. Proper water drainage works to keep water away from your home's foundation. Ideally water is expelled several feet away from your home as opposed to right next to it. Here are a few tips to remember:
- Clean gutters work much better than clogged ones
- Extended downspouts carry water further away from your home
- Proper grading allows all the moisture to drain naturally away from your home
Making sure the drainage systems outside your home are just as important as the ones inside.
Waterproof Your Basement
If you have a basement that tends to flood, there are measures you can put in place to help this. Sump pumps help to keep water out of your basement. There are different strengths of sump pumps that can be chosen from depending on the level of water intrusion you experience. Subfloor waterproofing systems capture the water before you even see it. Trench drains and window wells help to keep water from seeping in through basement doors and windows. Waterproofing your basement helps to keep it protected from any level of water intrusion, and is a great way to get ahead of the wet spring season.
Waterproof Your Crawl Space
Did you know you can waterproof your crawl space, too? A lot of people don't really think about the crawl space because it's usually dark, dirty, and nasty; but protecting your crawl space from water is really important too. A crawl space encapsulation is the process of sealing your crawl space from the earth and protecting it from water, pests, and outside air. Your crawl space is a part of your home, too, and shouldn't be neglected. A wet crawl space is the perfect environment for mold and rot. While a dark crawl space may be easy to ignore, mold and rot will make themselves known very quickly.
Servicing Equipment
Maybe you have already taken the steps listed above. If that is the case, maintaining these systems is very important to their longevity. Sump pumps need to be cleaned and tested, dehumidifiers need to have their filters changed, and waterproofing systems should be examined to ensure they are in good working order!
How can we help?
Chicago Basement Systems has the knowledgeable experts and the warrantied, patented products o ensure your home is protected this spring! Are you ready to make sure your home stays dry, not only this spring but year round? Reach out today to schedule your FREE, no obligation estimate.