Soggy basement? Here’s what we did to fix ours last year.

During last year’s windstorm we were less than thrilled to find out that water from the storm had found its way into our basement. We then spent the next few months learning how to fix the problem and then this summer added a drainage system around the house. The good news is that this system passed yesterday’s test with flying colors. So…if your basement got a little wet with yesterday’s rain, here are some pointers from our experiences last year.

1. Don’t freak out! Remember, it’s rain water, not sewage water! Things could always be worse.
2. Dry your basement as soon as possible, this means spending some quality time with a mop and bucket. (If you have carpet that got soaked, you will need to rip that thing up and get it out of the house. Believe me, in a day or so it’s going to really start stinking!)
3. Continue drying your basement. Get circulation moving by setting up some fans, or better yet, get ahold of a dehumidifier!
4. The water helped us make some easy choices about what things we needed to get rid of, so now you’ve got a great reason to go to the transfer station! (Oh yeah, the transfer station is going to be more crowded than usual during the next few days, so try and see if you can get there early)

Now, here’s some bad news. Water getting into your basement this time has made it easier for water to get into your basement again. And, because most drainage repair companies are going to be booked the next couple of months, you will need to make some short term fixes. (The good news is that as winter kicks in the weather should be getting much colder and drier soon!)

5. Make sure to point all your gutters’ downspouts are pointed as far away from your house as possible. Go to the hardware store and get some extenders for your gutters to get future rainwater away from your place.
6. Last year we also installed tarps along the side of the house, and this helped keep the area around our house dry.
7. Start making appointments with drainage repair companies. You’ll probably get an appointment for someone to see your basement within the next couple months, and could possibly get some work scheduled for February or March.

(Oh yeah, we used Bodine Construction. And although they’re on the higher end of the bidding spectrum, they did a great job for us.)