An inch or two of water on your basement floor can be nightmare, especially if your basement is finished and is being used as a living area. Water will destroy your carpets, drywall and baseboards and serve as a catalyst for mold infestation. These types of water damage can be costly and difficult to address, but these problems are only minor when compared to the damage that water is inflicting to your home’s structure.

If water is making its way into your basement, there is a good chance that the same water is making its way into the home’s footings, which support the foundation and the rest of the house. When this happens, the water can over saturate the soil below the footings and cause the house to settle. Moreover, a house that is settling can lead to foundation cracks, doors that no longer work and more. Not to mention, it can lead to repairs that cost in the tens of thousands of dollars. Do not let this happen to you.

Do not be fooled by companies that simply offer to “waterproof” your basement. This will only address the problem of water entering your basement but will not address the problem of water saturating the soil below your footers. These so-called waterproofing companies charge thousands of dollars and are only capable of addressing half of the problem.

I have been in the home repair field for many years now, and in my experience, I have found that the leading cause of flooded basements is often simpler than the average homeowner realizes. All too often, clogged and poorly functioning gutters are the reason for flooded basements.

If your gutters are full of leaves, debris or whatever, they definitely will not be draining properly. In a heavy rain, all the rain that spills on your roof will simply over-shoot your gutters, fall down beside your house and pour down beside and through your foundation. To address this problem, simply clean your gutters and rinse away the debris.

Another thing to check for would be gutters with leaky seams. If you find any that are leaking, simply clean the seam and fill with 100% silicone caulking. If you have any gutter sections that are damaged beyond repair, do not be afraid to contact your local seamless gutter expert. In most places, seamless gutter contractors only charge $2-$3.00 per foot to install new gutters, and this price generally includes all materials and labor.


After your gutters have been cleaned and inspected for necessary repairs, the next thing to check for would be the gutter down spouts. Check to see if the down spouts are directing the rain water far enough away from your house. If they are not, this could also be part of the reason water is draining into your basement. If this is the problem, simply extend your down spouts by installing a few feet of 4” drain tile. This will effectively direct the water away from your house.

If none of the above will address your leaky basement problems, I recommend meeting with a qualified and experienced excavating contractor. It may sound expensive, but trust me, it will be much better to dish out a little money now instead of your entire bankroll in the future.