7 Ways to Avoid A Wet Basement After Heavy Rain

Q: Is a little water in a basement okay?

Any amount of water in your basement , whether it’s a few inches, a puddle, or a damp wall, is a bad sign. Leaking water has many negative effects, from mold growth and health issues to damaged belongings and foundation deterioration.

Listening to falling rain can be calming, but it can also be stressful – especially if this water ends up in your basement. This scenario is all too common for homeowners in areas that experience heavy rainfall throughout the year.

Left unchecked, a wet basement can cause significant damage, from mold growth and health concerns to ruined belongings and foundation deterioration. But don’t worry, they can be fixed!

This article explores popular basement waterproofing methods, including what works and what doesn’t, and how our team at Baker’s Waterproofing can help with trusted wet basement repair.

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Avoid A Wet Basement: Follow These 7 Tips

The following practical tips can help you effectively avoid extensive foundation leak repair and keep water out of your basement after heavy rain.

1. Add a Sump Pump

A sump pump is an effective wet basement repair method that protects your home’s foundation from excess water.

Typically situated at the lowest part of your basement, this device’s main function is to gather and channel surplus water away from your home.

It works best when paired with an interior drainage system that collects water that leaks inside through the walls, floor, and cove joint (where the walls and floor meet).

2. Install a Dehumidifier

High humidity levels in your basement can lead to condensation, which makes your basement damp, even without any visible leaks. This dampness can create an environment ripe for mold and mildew.

To combat this issue, consider installing a basement dehumidifier. While they do not actively remove water for foundation leak repair, these appliances effectively reduce humidity levels, making your basement less susceptible to dampness and potential mold problems. When selecting a dehumidifier, consider the size of your basement and its current humidity level. Some advanced models can also be integrated into your home’s HVAC system, providing seamless control over the humidity in your basement.

3. Maintain Gutters and Downspouts

Your gutters and downspouts are crucial in directing rainwater away from your home.

Regular cleaning and maintenance of these exterior components are vital in preventing a wet basement.

If you’re uncomfortable doing this, we recommend hiring a professional for cleaning, repair, and replacement.

4. Ensure Proper Landscape Grading

The layout of your property’s landscaping should be designed to encourage rainwater and gutter and downspout runoff to flow away from your home.

The soil should have a positive grade, which means it slopes away from a structure. A negative grade, on the other hand, allows water to pool next to your basement walls and leak inside.

We recommend hiring a professional landscaper to regrade your yard.

5. Add or Replace Exterior Drainage and Damp Proofing

applying exterior damp proofing to basement walls

During your home’s construction, builders typically place drainage pipes next to your foundation’s footing to intercept leaking water. They also apply a tar coating or damp proofing to the walls to help prevent moisture intrusion.

This is a time-honored practice, but the pipe can be crushed or clogged with dirt and sediment, as seen in this video. The wall coating can also disintegrate over time.

You could dig down to the footing to replace the pipe and reapply the wall coating, but that won’t stop the same issues from happening again. Plus, your landscaping could be ruined from the extensive digging down and out into your yard. This process is not cheap, either.

6. Avoid Waterproof Paints or Sealants

Many homeowners want to attempt waterproofing basement walls from inside. Applying “waterproof” paint or sealant to your basement walls might seem like an easy fix, but it’s temporary.

These coatings can flake and bubble, still allowing moisture to seep through. You’ll also notice efflorescence (a chalky white substance) on concrete walls as further evidence of water presence.

Therefore, these measures should not be your primary line of defense.

7. Call the Professionals

professional installing interior drainage in basement

While some techniques temporarily keep your basement dry, the best way to approach basement leak repair and lock rainwater out of your basement is with professionally installed interior drainage solutions. These include perimeter drainage and a sump pump.

Unlike the footing drain mentioned above, the unique BasementGutter™ system our team at Baker’s Waterproofing installs is designed to sit atop the footer and out of the mud.

Water is then channeled to a sump pump system and pumped out of the basement and away from your home. Battery backups also keep your sump pump working even during power outages.

DIY Doesn’t Always Work. Here’s Why You Should Hire a Pro.

If you’re looking for permanent wet basement repair so you’ll never have to wonder if a storm flooded your home, consider working with a professional basement waterproofing company.

When you hire the pros, you can benefit from their years of experience, as well as:

Commitment to honest business
Efficient, quality installation
Industry-leading solutions
Customized repairs
Extensive warranties
Service and maintenance programs

That’s what you can expect from Baker’s Waterproofing. We understand how wet Pennsylvania’s weather can be, and we know exactly how to keep that water out of your basement. We’ve been doing it for more than 45 years.

To learn more about how we can help rid your home of a wet basement, contact us to schedule your free inspection and estimate.

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Wet Basement FAQs

Is a little water in a basement okay?

Any amount of water in your basement, whether it’s a few inches, a puddle, or a damp wall, is a bad sign. Leaking water has many negative effects, from mold growth and health issues to damaged belongings and foundation deterioration.

Is it normal to have some water in the basement after heavy rain?

It’s common to have water in your basement after it rains. Many people think this simply comes with owning a house with a basement, but it shouldn’t be considered a “normal” occurrence that you have to live with. It’s best to intercept and remove this water with professional water management solutions.

How do you fix a leaking basement after heavy rain?

The best thing you can do for your home is to invest in professional repairs. Depending on where, how, and why your basement is leaking, your home could need any number of solutions. These include interior drainage, sump pumps, a dehumidifier, and a wall vapor barrier.

Holly Richards-Purpura

Content Writer

Holly is a Content Writer for Groundworks who has written and edited web content for the foundation services industry for almost 10 years. With a background in journalism, her passion for the written word runs deep. Holly lives in Columbus, OH, with her husband. Along with educating homeowners, she also has a big heart for the Big Apple.