Summer home maintenance DOs and DON’Ts
While summertime may mean vacations and time away from home, it should not mean a vacation from exterior home preventative measures to avoid basement seepage problems. According to local basement waterproofing experts at U.S. Waterproofing, homeowners should continually pay attention to key home exterior issues during the summer months: proper lawn sprinkling and the maintenance and protection of window wells.
When rain is lacking, the dryness can cause homes to abnormally shift, resulting in foundation damage. Utilizing lawn sprinklers/hoses to hydrate the soil around the house can help to reduce the chance of the house developing structural problems from these drought conditions. Improperly watering near the foundation, however, can lead to other problems.
“Running water around the exterior of the house must be done with care so as not to create an immediate or future seepage problem in the basement or crawl space,” Barry Schilling, Vice President of Sales & Marketing for U.S. Waterproofing, the Midwest’s largest basement waterproofing company.
Homeowners should take note of these dos and don’ts before running water:
- DO run water next to the foundation to help hydrate the soil around the building.
- DON’T let the water spray on the side of the building as this could leak down into the basement.
- DO be cautious when running the hose around uncovered window wells as they are a likely place to collect large amounts of water which could in turn leak into the basement.
- DO check the hose connection at your outdoor faucet (water spigot) – a leaky connection can spray water on the side of your house causing seepage in the basement which can result in mold.
Additionally, hot summer weather can increase the humidity in your home as the heavier humid air accumulates in the low spot—your basement. U.S. Waterproofing experts encourage homeowners to check regularly for mold, which can lead to health problems and reduced property values if left neglected.
“Window wells should also be checked and cleaned out regularly to ensure that leaves and other debris are not causing water to back-up in the well,” Schilling said. “An uncovered window well is also “potential liability” as it is an open invitation for burglars and a safety hazard for children playing around your home.”
In an effort to help prevent basement well problems, U.S. Waterproofing can provide custom window well covers. The covers, which have a lifetime warranty against breakage, are translucent, allowing for 98 percent of sunlight to filter in. In addition, U.S. Waterproofing installs window well drains to help get rid of excess water.
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