It's A Sure Thing...

If you are a homeowner with a basement, there is a 98% chance that you will experience some form of flooding or other water damage to said basement at some point during your ownership.  In other words, it's a sure thing.  It's not a question of if it will happen, more like waiting for your turn in the barrel.  Aren't you glad you decided to read this?

Now that I've made you feel oh so wonderful about your decision to purchase a home with a basement, I'll go one further and say that you're pretty much powerless to stop it.  Waterproof basements are still a fantasy (although I maintain that whoever comes up with a foolproof waterproofing method is going to become a very wealthy person), and the simple fact is that if water rises enough, your basement will flood.  Count on it.

If I haven't depressed you completely and you're still with me, then consider, there are things you can do to minimize the damage.  I firmly believe that the best defense is a great offense (even though I don't play sports, the analogy just works for me), and the best thing you can do for yourself is to simply check out your basement occasionally, looking for little problems that may become big ones later on.  Leaky pipes, broken window seals, cracks in the foundation....seemingly insignificant issues that, left alone, will be fruitful and multiply, and before you know it, you've got waterfront property at the bottom of your basement steps.

Repairing the problems as they crop up will go a long way towards staving off disaster.  It still may happen, but being proactive puts you closer to being a part of that 2% with dry basements.  And of course we all know that dry is good.  Fixing a crack or repairing a seal is always preferable to pumping three feet of water from your basement.

You can also ward off significant damage by getting everything up.  Move things like appliances, power outlets, electrical boxes etc to a higher elevation.  Even twelve inches higher off the floor would help.  Basements are also used for storage, so make sure anything valuable is stored in an upper floor.

I know this sounds like a lot, but after that storm, when you wake up to find so much water downstairs that you half expect to see Leo DeCaprio and Kate Winslett float by on a piece of wood, you'll be glad you did it.

Next time we'll look at dealing with the problem when it happens....stay tuned....