Here in the Albany area, we experience a significant amount of wet weather. Many homes we conduct home inspections typically have issues with wet basements that can cause breakouts of mold or other structural problems.
The more proactive you can be in maintaining your home, the less likely you are experience having a wet basement. Here are a handful of ways that you can minimize your home is risk of experiencing a flood in your basement.
1) keep your gutters clean – especially this time of year as fall is approaching, you will experience an abundance of leaves falling. Working to keep your gutters and downspouts clean of any debris is going to allow water to properly drain out and away from your home. If you were to forgo doing this, water is going to back up and build up around your foundation, seeping into your basement and causing possible damage.
2) check to make sure your downspouts are properly cleaned out – wow this is mentioned briefly above, it is extremely important to ensure that your downspouts are the proper length and are of the proper quality. you want to make sure that your downspouts are at least 6 feet away from your home. Any closer, and you might experience water drainage that seeps into your basement.
3) clear out your window wells – water or Lee’s are noon to build up here as the wind blows and the leaves fall. What you want to do is have a piece of plywood that slopes downward and away from your home as a short-term solution. This will keep any water or debris from collecting in your window wells
4) make sure that the storm drains out by the road are clear of any leaves or debris as the fall weather approaches. If there is any blockage, you will have water backing up around your home.
If you are considering selling your home, we always recommend hiring a home inspector to know what issues need to be addressed with your home before you put on the market.
If you are looking for a Ballston Spa or Saratoga Springs home inspector, contact Bald Eagle Inspection Services today.