Tips to Prevent Basement Flooding

If your home isn’t ready for Orlando’s heavy late spring and summer rains, it’s at serious risk for basement flooding. To protect your belongings and your home, there are a few simple things you can do to keep your basement dry.

Keep the Rain Out

Clean your gutters and check that they’re in good repair before the rainy periods start so they can effectively direct water runoff from the roof. Make sure the downspouts extend at least 3 feet away from your foundation to keep the runoff away from the basement.

Inspect the entire foundation for cracks. Even a small crack can let water into the basement and the damage will only worsen with time. While the smallest cracks can be sealed with epoxy, slightly larger cracks are best repaired with vinyl concrete patch. If you spot any cracks larger than 1/4 inch wide, contact a professional.

The ground around your home should slope away from the building at a minimum of 2 inches per foot. If it doesn’t, consider re-grading to reduce the risk of basement flooding. Simply shoveling soil up against the below-grade walls helps. Because soil holds water, keep it away from your home’s siding.

If you have basement windows that sit below ground level, install window well covers to prevent water from accumulating near the window.

Maintain Your Sump Pump

Periodically check your sump pump for dirt, leaves, and other debris that has accumulated inside it and clean as necessary. Once every few months, test your sump pump by pouring in a bucket of water. The pump should start up immediately, drain the water, then shut off. If it doesn’t run, make sure the float isn’t stuck or obstructed. If the float moves freely, you may need to replace the float switch.

Because a sump pump requires electricity to run, yours won’t do you any good if a storm knocks the power out. To keep your pump running, consider having a home generator installed.

For more pro tips on preventing basement flooding, contact us at Rinaldi’s Energy Solutions in the Orlando area.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Orlando, Florida and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).

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