| Do you have the flooded basement blues?
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| | water is going to end up? Drip, drip,
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| Due to their nature, being underground
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| | drip… down to the basement!
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| structures, basements are prone to water
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| | Remember that faulty gutter system? Is
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| damage. It doesn't take a river
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| | rainwater draining properly or is it
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| overflowing its banks or a major
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| | collecting in the soil that's pressing
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| hurricane to flood a basement. In fact,
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| | against your basement walls? Make sure
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| basement flooding often occurs due to
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| | that your home's gutters are draining
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| water build up in the surrounding soil.
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| | properly - away from the foundation and
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| So what's a home owner to do? Prevention
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| | basement. Does the ground near your home
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| is always the best medicine, especially
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| | slope away from it or toward it? Ideally,
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| when it comes to your home. As little as
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| | the ground should slope away. If not,
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| an inch of water can cause thousands of
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| | consider grading the soil.
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| dollars of damage. Even small leaks can
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| | Sump pumps are increasingly being used as
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| become major disasters when mold takes
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| | a preventative tool. In the past, sump
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| over. If your basement isn't flooded now,
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| | pumps were used after flooding occurred.
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| take the necessary precautions to prevent
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| | Now, many municipalities have restricted
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| the most common basement flooding
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| | builders from routing rainwater from
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| problems. You'll save yourself a great
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| | gutters to the sewer systems as they try
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| deal of heartache (and money) later.
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| | to comply with the Clean Water Act. If
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| First, if you have block walls, use a
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| | the water isn't carried away from your
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| waterproof coating using the
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| | foundation and basement, flooding can
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| manufacturer's spread rate
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| | occur.
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| specifications. Don't skimp! You may even
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| | The sump pump acts to remove water from
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| need a second coat if water seepage
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| | the lowest sections of the basement, even
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| continues after the first application.
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| | below the basement floor. A sump hole
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| Use a waterproof coating that is
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| | collects rising ground water. The sump
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| specifically formulated to block water
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| | pump kicks in when the water reaches a
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| passing through due to hydrostatic
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| | "critical" level and begins pumping the
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| pressure.
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| | water out. The water is pumped through a
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| What is hydrostatic pressure? This is
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| | pipe that diverts it away from your
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| pressure caused by water in the soil
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| | home's foundation and basement.
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| which could include the water table, rain
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| | Many different types of sump pumps are on
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| runoff flowing toward your home
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| | the market. Most use a "float" which
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| underground, or even your home's own
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| | activates the pump when the water reaches
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| gutter system.
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| | a certain level. Some are designed to
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| Other prevention steps include fixing
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| | work underwater while others are not
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| leaks, ensuring proper drainage, and
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| | meant to get wet. Different materials
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| installing a sump pump. Leaks in the
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| | such as plastic and cast iron affect the
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| basement don't always originate down
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| | price and long term performance of the
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| below. For example, if you have a leaking
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| | pumps. In addition, sump pumps can be
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| toilet above, where do you think the
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| | powered by either water or electricity.
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