Spring cleaning tips
Most people associate spring cleaning with taking clutter out of storage and getting rid of some of the shaggier winter clothes,” said Barry Schilling, Vice President of Sales & Marketing for U.S. Waterproofing, the Midwest’s largest basement waterproofing company. “But we encourage people to think of spring cleaning as a good time to make sure their whole house is ready for spring and summer weather.”
Schilling recommended:
- Checking gutters and downspouts – making sure they’re clean and securely attached to the house. Downspouts should direct water away from the house. In many cases, local building codes will not allow downspouts to be emptied into a sewer or storm drain. Schilling recommends an underground downspout extension system as an inexpensive and ecologically sound way to convey water away from the base of the house.
- Checking your basement’s sump pump. Pouring water into the sump basin until the pump activates is a good way to check and make sure it’s still functional. A few minutes’ worth of testing can mean huge savings in repair bills. Regardless of whether you purchased your old sump pump system from U.S. Waterproofing, they will be happy to look at your old system and make recommendations. These includes such things as replacing it, especially if it’s older than 7 years, or even enhancing it with a battery back up system to protect your basement from power failures.
- Reducing humidity levels. After addressing all your seepage problems, invest in a in an energy efficient Humivent basement dehumdification system and a crawl space liner if it lacks a concrete floor. Keeping humidity levels to a reasonable minimum will help prevent moisture from permeating to the upper floors of the house and limit the growth of mold.
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