We have talked about some important aspects in regards to keeping water out of the house but there are other things that deserve attention this time of year. Lets look at some of them and take note as to what you can do to maintain your house. Gutters - clean to extend life of gutters and help keep the basement dry Air Conditioning system - have it serviced before turning on to prolong life and protect equipment, the system should never be turned on unless the outside temp ha

Water in basements may also be caused by a drain tile issue. Drain tiled basements have a pipe that is continuous around the entire perimeter of the foundation. This 4” pipe has holes that will gather ground water before it gets to the basement floor. These pipes dump water into the sump pump, which is then pumped outside. If you see two 4” pipes coming thru the side of the sump pump basket, the basement is drain tiled. If there are no pipes, the basement is not drain tiled a

Basement flooding is one of the most devastating things that can happen in someones home. It can cost thousands of dollars in property damage, and health damage due to growth of mold. A Sump pump is a piece of equipment that prevent such damage, but if not maintained properly may fail. Sump pumps collect water from the drain tile system and then pump it away from the home. As we have talked about before, the sump pump should discharge out the side of the house at least six f

Most roof leaks are caused by a poor roof slope or metal flashing. Shingles are designed to shed water and require the correct slope to do so. If the proper slope is not achieved water will sit and eventually leak. For roofs that have a low slope, different materials can be used such as a waterproof membrane. Roof flashings are the most important factor in keeping water out of the attic. When re-roofing, contractors are not required to replace the metal flashings on the roof

99% of foundation issues are caused by water. Grading plays a very important role in controlling water and keeping it away from your foundation. Proper grading drains surface water away from the building and is recommended to be at a slope of six inches for the first ten feet from the foundation. If you have negative grading where the land is sloping towards the building you should have it corrected. Pull back any landscaping materials including plants for several feet from