You go down to the basement and step in a cold puddle.  Two thoughts quickly enter my mind, either I have dog that’s mad at me or I have water in my basement.  I’ll let a dog trainer discuss one issue, I’ll handle the other.

With the heavy rain we’ve had recently, basement water is inventible for some of us.  In some cases drastic measures need to be taken.  Drain tile & sump pumps need can be installed, which can be expensive and messy.  But for most of us, there’s a few simple ways to avoid this problem.

Attach Downspout Extensions.  I see many houses, either during inspections or random homes in my neighborhood that do not have the downspout extensions attached.  In many cases the extensions are right there, but were not re-attached after grass was cut.  Whatever the situation, it’s important that water shedding from your roof runs AWAY from your homes’ foundation.  Without extensions attached, your gutter system is basically transformed into a “get water in your basement” system.  No good!

Clean the Gutters.  Many times debris accumulates in the gutter at the downspout.  This is especially true during fall when leaves at falling.  When the gutters are backed up, water will not flow as intended.  This can lead to a variety of issues.  Water can overflow over side of the gutter, causing roof water to land near the foundation.  This can also cause a gutters’ bracing system to fail.  The bracing can simply not withstand the weight of a gutter filled with water.  Usually when this happens not only does the gutter system need repair, but sometimes it can damage the roofing materials.  Also, in the cold climate of Minnesota this can contribute to some pretty nasty ice dams.  So throw on the rubber gloves, check the gag reflex and clean out those gutters.

Maybe your home doesn’t have a gutter system or perhaps you’ve got the gutter system working properly and you’re still getting water in your basement.  There’s a variety of measures to be taken.  However there are many variables to consider.  Some homes need to be re-graded so the land slopes away from the house, and rain water will run away with it.  Some homes need drain tile installed either in the basement with a sump pump or elsewhere on the property.  Having installed drain tile myself in my own home, I can tell you this is an extreme “do it yourself job”.  For me it involved digging a trench 15 inches wide by 18 inches deep, 140 feet around the perimeter of my basement foundation walls, leading to a trench where the sump pump bucket would eventually be.  Then hauling the dirt and concrete out through windows in 5 gallon buckets, then after laying down the drain pipe I had to refill the trench with small rock (again through 5 gallon buckets through the window), then re-lay the concrete. 

So do yourself a favor and take care of the small stuff before you have to take drastic measures.  Water in your basement is a nasty ailment and can lead to mold growth, deterioration of foundation walls and makes your basement musty and stinky.  Hopefully this helps, or at least reminds you to clean out the gutters.   –Jeff Manders