Protecting Your Basement During A Downpour

VIDEO: FOX 2 News - Protecting Your Home

Granite City, IL - Spring showers and summer thunderstorms have resulted in countless St. Louis area basements flooding.  FOX 2 News reporter Jeff Bernthal spoke with Dave Thompson of Woods Basement Systems for advice on what homeowners can do to help keep their basements dry.

"The ground [becomes] overly saturated, so the water has no where else to go...except into your dry basement," Thompson said.

Homeowners can take some pre-emptive measures to direct water away from their foundations, such as cleaning out gutters and extending downspouts.  When gutters clog with leaves and debris, rainwater spills over like a small waterfall next to the foundation.  Extending downspouts further away from the foundation can help prevent water from pooling next to basement walls.

Clean gutters and longer downspouts, however, are no match for torrential rainfall and flash flooding.  The best solution is to install an effective waterproofing system and including powerful sump pumps that can keep up with downpours.  But even a sump pump can fail, especially when the power goes out during severe weather.

"If you don't have a battery back-up," Thompson said, "that's bad news."

Battery back-up sump pumps ensure that waterproofing systems continue to function despite power outages and mechanical failures, keeping basements dry during the wettest weather.

Source: FOX 2 News