3 Tips on Keeping Your Basement Dry
The spring rains will be hitting the Kansas City area soon. Historically, March and April are the wettest months in the Missouri and Kansas areas. According to https://weatherspark.com/s/9847/0/Average-Spring-Weather-in-Kansas-City-Missouri-United-States, the average sliding 31-day rainfall during the spring in Kansas City is very rapidly increasing, starting the season at 1.5 inches, when it rarely exceeds 3.2 inches or falls below 0.3 inches, and ending the season at 5.0 inches, when it rarely exceeds 8.2 inches or falls below 2.1 inches. That is a lot of rain in a consolidated amount of time.
Another factor to consider when looking at the 3 Tips on Keeping Your Basement Dry is the clay soil around the Midwest. The clay soil can fluctuate based upon droughts and moisture, which can directly impact your home's foundation. Consequently, your home's foundation can become unstable, crack or have gaps between the house and the soil, causing an entry access point for rain to seep into the basement.
Foundation repair companies around Kansas City are not all experienced in the clay soil, or have the local experience with the climatic changes. PierMagic has worked with Kansas City homeowners for over 15 years perfecting the foundation repair and waterproofing solutions that best fit each home's needs. Based upon decades of conversations with homeowners, we've come up with 3 Tips on Keeping Your basement dry, as we navigate the most common pain points that allow water to seep into your basement.
Foundation cracks can be caused by many things – but almost always, they are due to water interacting with the soil around the foundation. Heavy rains can cause the soil to swell. Fill dirt can settle. Droughts can cause the soil supporting the foundation to pull away. Controlling where the water goes can make a big difference in protecting your foundation walls and keeping your basement dry.
Tip #1 of the 3 Tips on Keeping Your Basement Dry -
Increase the Slope of the Ground Around Your Home.
The natural flow of water away from your home is important. Your home's foundation will suffer from any climate changes, including droughts, rains, freezing, or thawing patterns. Along with the fluctuation, cracks can begin to form in your home's foundation, allowing that water after a heavy rain to seep into the basement. One way to continually monitor this is to take a walk around your home after a heavy rain. Do you notice pooling/standing water? Clogged gutters? Low points around your yard?
Do you need a professional to check out the slope around your home? Some solutions for repair, which are inexpensive, are filling the low spots with dirty (foundation grading), or creating a new slope, or tampering the dirt away from the house a good 2 to 3 feet. PierMagic has a sister company, PolyMagic, who offers foundation grading solutions, which can help keep your foundation and basement dry. Ready for a free estimate? Click here to begin.
Tip #2 of the 3 Tips on Keeping Your Basement Dry -
Extend downspouts and clean out your gutters.
Downspouts direct a lot of water away from your home, and are inexpensive. Home improvement stores like Home Depot offer a variety of downspouts that are affordable and effective. Your roof is a natural water collector, and it is normally at a slope to push the water off. However, when we get torrential rainfall or it hasn't rained in a while then suddenly rains, your roof can be overwhelmed. A simple and affordable solution is to go out and buy and connect downspout extensions that will direct all of the water further away from your home and your home's foundation. The cost and hassle are minuscule compared to the cost of foundation repairs.
RELATED: Epoxy Crack Sealing may be a good option to seal your basement cracks at the first sign of water entry. This isn't always the permanent solution, but it can be a temporary repair. Ask an expert to come out for a free estimate.
Tip #3 of the 3 Tips on Keeping Your Basement Dry -
Consider Waterproofing Solutions (Barriers, French drains, etc)
The ideal solution for your foundation is to have consistent moisture, which isn't an easy ask in the midwest. In the Kansas City area, we can have ice and freezing temperatures one day, then torrential down pouring of rain the next. Then in summers, we can go weeks without rain. This can wreck havoc on your home's foundation. So, what's the solution? Experienced foundation repair companies typically have a waterproofing solution available. PierMagic can come out and assess your situation and offer solutions such as installing a waterproofing barrier and then replacing the soil around your foundation with a new footing drain and gravel. We then leave enough soil on top for grass or landscaping plants to grow so your foundation looks normal.
What are the advantages of waterproofing?
The two big advantages to building a waterproof barrier are that because the gravel drains quickly, it doesn’t allow water to build up around the foundation. Also, the gravel is stable, unlike soil which expands and contracts with the level of moisture it receives. Gravel won’t put pressure on the wall and keeps the foundation from shifting and causing cracks. Gravel will also keep the moisture level consistent throughout the weather cycles. Call today to schedule a free estimate.
Free Basement Waterproofing Consultation
If you see any cracks in your basement walls or notice water anywhere, don’t hesitate to call. PierMagic® offers free foundation repair inspections, so call us right away. Our PierMagic® basement waterproofing experts know exactly what to look for. We take the time to figure out what is causing the leak to be able to recommend the best solution. We will leave you with a free estimate and our best advice.
THE LONGER YOU WAIT TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM, THE MORE DAMAGE YOU WILL HAVE AND THE MORE MONEY IT WILL COST TO FIX IT, SO CALL US TODAY AT 816-765-4800.
