Minnesota and North Dakota are still in the midst of the drought that has inched its way across the country since summer, with both states experiencing moderate to extreme drought conditions. On top of causing brown lawns and withered crops, drought can also cause damage to your home.
As we learned last week, drought can make your house settle when dirt dries and shrinks away from its foundation. But drought has other adverse effects as well. While it may seem illogical, drought conditions can lead to wet basements, which can cause as many problems for your home as a settling foundation.
Alongside the cracked walls, uneven floors, and hard-to-open doors and windows caused by a settling foundation are cracks and fissures which can let water into your basement. A leaky basement can cause damage to your valuables and to your home. It can also strengthen conditions that allow mold to form.
Despite the damage a wet basement can cause, there are some ways to prevent water from entering your basement after drought.
- Water the soil around your foundation.
Adding moisture to the soil around your foundation can prevent it from shrinking away from your home, reducing the likelihood of cracks and fissures forming.The wet soil will expand, closing channels that would have otherwise allowed water to work its way into your foundation. - Direct your downspouts away from your foundation.
Because soil shrinks away from a home’s foundation during a drought, the home is left vulnerable to water rushing into the gaps between the dirt and the foundation. This is especially true when your home’s downspouts are too close to your foundation, allowing them to direct large concentrations of water into the gap. To remedy this problem, make sure your downspouts are extended well beyond the foundation. - Test your sump pumps.
After a long drought, your sump pump may not have been tested in quite some time. To test it, pour water into the pump’s liner. The pump should immediately start pumping water out of your basement. If not, be sure to contact a professional immediately to protect your basement from flooding.
But the best way to protect your basement from moisture? Contact the basement waterproofing specialists at Innovative Basement Authority, and let us help you solve your foundation problems. We can turn a wet basement into a dry storage space or even a comfortable living area. Call us or use our contact form today to schedule a free estimate.
