If you’ve experienced flooding in your basement, you know what a major inconvenience it can be. At Pittsburgh Drain Guys, we understand how frustrating basement flooding can be. Serving as your number one waterproofing contractors in Pittsburgh, we’ve used our expertise to put together some tips on how to keep your basement from flooding.

Before flooding can occur, it is essential to take certain steps to help prevent it. It is important to evaluate your home and look for ways you can divert the rainwater away from it. A few solutions for this include extending rain gutter downspouts away from your home and making sure the grade of your yard slopes away from your home.

To determine if your yard needs to be sloped away from your home, go outside in a heavy rainstorm and see if you find any water ponding next home and if the surface is being directed toward home, if it is, then your yard will need to be graded.

When it comes to extending your rain gutter downspouts, you will want to avoid connecting them to your foundation footer drain tile or to your underground dry wells because it can cause the water from the roof to further saturate the ground and flood your basement.

You will also want to make sure that you clean your rain gutters in the spring and after the leaves come down in the fall. If gutters are blocked when it rains, it can cause the water coming from the roof to drain onto your foundation and increase the chances of your basement flooding.

Heavy rainstorms can lead to a power outage, so to ensure your sump pump, as well as your furnace, refrigerator, well pump, and other essential items, have power. By installing an emergency power back up, you don’t have to worry about coming home to a flooded basement.

If your home is built on a hillside, it is likely that water will runoff and build pressure against the walls of your foundation, causing leaking and other damage. Signs that your basement may require waterproofing include:

If your basement is not waterproofed, it can lead to a buildup of mold and mildew in your basement and can also lead to cracks in the basement walls or foundation. The repairs for basement flooding cost far more than having your basement waterproofed, making basement waterproofing a great investment for Pittsburgh homeowners.

Depending on the severity of your water issues, there are two ways your basement can be waterproofed. One way is to inject an epoxy solution into the cracks to prevent water from seeping. This works best for minor cracks. If you are experiencing constant water in your basement every time it rains, then you will need to have a professional waterproofing company dig six to eight feet down to your footer and seal the foundation’s exterior with a waterproofing membrane. New drainage tiles will also be placed at the sides of the footing.

At Pittsburgh Drain Guys, our team of expert waterproofing contractors has the right equipment and techniques to help you keep your basement dry. Have a leaky basement? Call us today to learn more about how our waterproofing services can keep your basement dry!