3 Expert Tips to Prepare Your Basement for the Fall

Fall is here and winter soon to come. It’s time to check your basement and make sure it’s ready for the stresses of all the cold, wet weather to come.

Cracks, leaks, bowed walls, mold and mildew— when left unattended, all these things will be worse by spring and more expensive to address. Year by year, the forces of nature are working against your walls, and it all starts when the leaves fall and the winds grow chill.

At D-Bug Waterproofing, we’re ready to stop by and check your basement for the trouble signs you should be paying attention to, or we can evaluate the damage you’ve already seen. Call us at 1-855-381-1528.

1. Check Your Basement Walls for Cracks and Leaks

Your first priority should always be checking your basement walls for cracks and leaks. If water is getting into your basement, then it will freeze as the temperature drops. Ice expands inside those cracks, swelling by as much as nine percent and exerting a maximum force between 25,000 and 114,000 pounds per square inch. That’s more than 40 tons of force per square inch.

Over time, it will break your foundation walls apart.

Don’t forget to check that the basement windows and exterior doors close snugly. They too can be a path for unwanted water to enter your basement.

Because your basement plays such a critical role in supporting your house, you have to take care of it, and this means fixing cracks and leaks before they lead to bigger problems. D-Bug Waterproofing has been helping your neighbors and friends in Southwestern PA for over 37 years. Call on us today.

2. Clean Your Gutters and Downspouts

Clogged gutters and broken downspouts are a common contributor to basement damage. As water overflows or drains right next to your foundation, it soaks the soil around your basement walls. The earth next to your home becomes a sponge ready to freeze when cold nights come and stay for months at a time. This, exerts tremendous lateral force against foundation walls, creating and expanding cracks, beginning the damage that will get worse year by year.

Fortunately, this is a relatively simple problem to fix. It’s all about working gutters, downspout lead offs, storm drains, and directing water way from your home’s foundation.

3. Landscaping and Drainage

Protecting your home from water damage can sometimes be a matter of landscaping, especially land grading. Most waterproofing companies have no experience with property grading and storm drainage, but at D-Bug Waterproofing we are experts at controlling the flow of water so that it doesn’t destroy your foundation.

We can install retaining walls, storm drains, and exterior French drains— whatever is necessary to keep your basement safe and secure.

Trust D-Bug Waterproofing with Your Basement

We’re a family owned, local company with 75 years of family history in business in Westmoreland and Allegheny Counties 37 years experience in basement waterproofing. We know what it takes to get the job done. To schedule your free basement inspection, visit our Contact Us page or give us a call at 1-855-381-1528.