Basement Flooding

Basements are fairly common in the United States. A basement – simply put – is space below a house, like a lower ground floor. Windows can be optional, and can have different locations of access such as a door inside or outside the house. One of the main concerns for gutter systems is the effects of not having them maintained properly. The one that suffers the most is the house basement. Even though you may have a drainage system below, and water is directed properly when “it’s down there” already – there are chances that it might overflow. Read on to understand what affect your gutters and other areas of your house can have on your basement.

No Gutters

Some homeowners believe that they can manage to keep the house dry by their ground drains alone. Actually… no, as there is a greater chance of overflowing if water is coming from all directions – not to mention the “splatter dirt” that you’ll get on your walls. Imagine the house with no gutters and expect a hard time cleaning up – debris and all.

Clogged Downspouts

Of course, clogged downspouts will make the gutters flood up, and if left unfixed it’ll have leaks in the long run. It will also mean water stains on walls and downspouts.

Water Runoff

One issue that some homeowners forget to check when buying new or used houses is the way the land slopes. Adjacent lawns, driveways and walkways must be sloping away and not towards the house. If it goes toward the house – you’ll be having a bad day every time it rains.

Prevention

Big Progress will be made as soon as you install gutters on your home. Aside from ground drainage, a gutter system will regulate the water flow and will not cause any splatter on the walls. With downspouts, make sure you check them regularly for potential clogs and damage. Don’t hesitate to add more downspouts if water needs to be distributed evenly and to prevent flooding. Make sure that the landscape sloping you have directs water away from your house. If not, have a contractor make some adjustments. Underground drains or trenches are recommended too.