During the rainy season and the heavy snow that usually comes in northeast Ohio, basement flooding is a too common occurrence. Bowed and damp walls can signaled a problem with your basement and foundation, and eventually lead to major problems with the structure of your home. Keeping water away from the foundation of your home, checking the sump pump is in working order, and making sure the gutters in your house are free of debris are some of the easy steps to take to keep your basement dry.
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Basement Issues Could Get Worse
With still over a week to go, and more rain in the forecast, this is already the wettest December on record.
That’s led to major water issues in basements all across Northeast Wisconsin, and the soggy weather could make problems even worse in the weeks to come.
A crew from Basten Construction & Waterproofing is conducting what it calls damage control at a home in Bellevue where the basement recently flooded.
“We’re just trying to get the wet stuff out before mold grows behind there and get it so it’s not a health issue for the people living here,” says project manager Matt Buchholz.
It’s a December Matt Buchholz has never seen before in the foundation repair business.
“I’m not caught up with all the phone calls yet, I’ve still got phone calls to make, people to go see and every one of them has water in their basement. Normally this time of year we’d be putting our excavation equipment away about a month ago and running snow plows to stay busy,” says Buchholz, adding that the concern now, and moving forward, is frost.
4 Simple Winter Home Projects That Can Save You Money
Winter is the perfect time to tackle important home projects. But why stop at just improving your home? There are tons of great DIY projects out there that can improve your living situation and save you serious dough. Here are some simple winter projects to help you get started.
1. Update your insulation
Insulation helps keep the heat you generate inside your house, allowing rooms to stay warmer for longer. If you think you’re losing heat too quickly after you turn down the thermostat, you may want to inspect your insulation. Replacing old batches or adding pipe and tank insulation is a relatively easy way to help your home maintain its warmth and shorten how long you run your heater.
2. Seal pesky drafts
Another great way to keep heat inside (and energy costs down) is to eliminate any drafts you find in your home. Using a caulk gun to seal gaps in walls and windows can help minimize the amount of warm air escaping your house. You may also want to consider checking your doors’ weatherstripping for any openings. Replacing weatherstripping is a relatively simple process and shouldn’t put too much strain on your wallet.
5 Ways to Keep Your Basement Dry
Dealing with water damage in your basement can be a major headache! If not taken care of quickly and properly, it can lead to major problems, including mold. To help you avoid that risk, we put together a few simple maintenance tips that can greatly reduce your risk of a wet basement this Spring.
Did you know, the number one cause of basement floods are sump pumps? Your sump pump is the #1 defender against mold, water damage and flooding in your home. With that said, can you tell me when you last performed any maintenance on it, or do you just hope it kicks on when you need it most? We’ve heard plenty of stories about home insurance not covering the damage from a basement flood due to a sump pump failure. We recommend that you check your sump pump regularly by adding water to the sump hole to ensure it kicks on and keeping a back-up pump on hand just in case your existing one fails. We also recommend that you invest in a battery back-up pump to make sure your defense system stays on guard, even if the power goes out.
Inspect your Gutters and Downspouts
Trust us, we know cleaning gutters is not a fun job, but it’s important that you have clean gutters and unobstructed downspouts.
