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Waterproofing Your Home

Homeowners know that it is important to waterproof your home to ensure that it will not suffer water damage. Many steps must be taken in waterproofing your home, especially if you are located in an area that has a lot of precipitation. This precipitation can be in the form of spring runoff that can occur after the winter thaw. It can also come from rain that is prevalent during certain times of the year.

Water can enter your home through the basement. It can come through cracks in the concrete or even due to poor yard drainage. A blockage in the septic system could also be the cause of seepage of water into your basement. Therefore, it is important that you take steps to ensure that this is remedied correctly.

The first thing a homeowner should do is to try to identify the water source. This generally means to turn off all water sources and check the plumbing to ensure that there are no leaking pipes. If they seem to be in working order, go through the process of checking your downspouts and gutters. If your downspouts and gutters are not set up correctly, torrential rainfall could cause your basement to flood.

Sometimes, a homeowner will be able to discover the cause of the water source themselves. At other times, an expert in basement flooding might have to be called. Gutters and downspouts might have to be replaced, and perhaps even the cracks in your concrete walls will have to be filled in order to seal the point of entry.

If your backyard has poor drainage, habitual rainfall can cause your basement to flood. Steps such as re-grading your yard by adding a slope to your yard that points away from the house will help to keep the floodwater at bay. Before deciding on what steps you should take towards waterproofing your home, you should first off determine your budget, and then decide which alternative is more cost effective for you.

Sometimes you can save a bundle of money by having some friends assist you with your waterproofing project. At other times, hiring a contractor to do the work for you makes more sense. Decide on which options will work in your best interest.