5 Maintenance Tips for Your Basement in Winter

You don’t have to relegate your basement maintenance projects to the spring, summer, and fall. If you’re concerned about the state of your home this winter, you can work with professionals in the Cleveland, OH, area to repair existing damage or to protect your home from damage related to winter’s snow and rain run-off. 

To get started, you’ll want to: 

1. Test Your Existing Waterproofing Measures 

It’s never a bad idea to install home waterproofing measures throughout your basement. When you do, you can eliminate the risks of seepage and flooding. That said, no waterproofing measure is going to last forever. While stacking waterproofing measures can extend the lifespan of all those measures working to protect your home, you’ll still need to inspect your solutions at least once a year. This way, you can make sure that they’re still in place and that they haven’t faced any tears, clogs, or other types of damage that might render them unusable. 

When in doubt, you can reach out to a professional in your area for repair assistance. Together, you can inspect those solutions you already have in play for damage and discuss what replacements, should they be necessary, will suit your budget and needs the best. 

2. Fix Any Existing Damage in Your Home 

It’s always possible that your basement may have taken on damage during the spring, summer, and fall. If this is the case, then you may already be contending with unwanted water in your basement. 

Hydrostatic pressure makes it more difficult for you to keep your home watertight during even the most pleasant months of the year. This pressure can cause the structural supports throughout your basement to rapidly expand and contract on a molecular level. To compensate for that stress, those supports can crack, resulting in bowing walls, rotting floor joists, and other signs of internal damage. 

You can work with a professional contractor to first find and then fix any damage done to your basement before the worst of the winter weather sets in. If you don’t, then it’s possible that winter’s ice and other precipitation may make your existing damage worse to the point where it may start to negatively impact the state of your home’s foundation. 

3. Invest in Window Well Liner 

Because your basement window wells are set lower than just about any other part of your home’s immediate grading, they’re the perfect spots for snow and other winter precipitation to settle. As such, you need a strong window well liner in place to prevent that precipitation from making its way into your home. Before the worst of winter’s weather, you’ll want to take a look at your existing liner to ensure it hasn’t endured any damage over the past year. If you notice any holes or tears, you’ll want to consider running out to your local hardware store for a replacement liner. You also might want to consider having durable covers placed over your window wells to prevent any water, pest, and debris intrusion. 

4. Monitor Your Downspouts 

During the warmer months of the year, your gutters and downspouts help direct unwanted moisture away from your home. During the winter, however, your downspouts are in danger. As snow on your roof freezes and thaws, your downspouts will direct that moisture away from your basement. 

However, cooler nighttime temperatures can also cause that moisture to freeze inside of your downspouts. As a result, your downspouts can fracture and break if left outside in the elements. It’s important for you to monitor your downspouts once the weather starts to cool. 

5. Waterproof Your Home 

If you don’t already have home waterproofing measures in place, now’s the best time to start installing some. You can reach out to a professional in your area to discuss what waterproofing measures might suit your home best based on what kind of seepage or damage you may have seen in the past. 
Some of the most effective waterproofing solutions that will protect your basement include interior drainage, sump pumps, dehumidifiers, vapor barriers, and waterproof insulation panels. 

Want help preparing your home for the coldest months of the year? The basement waterproofing professionals serving Cleveland, OH, can help you determine the best place to start. After you request a free basement inspection from Ohio Basement Systems, a certified field inspector will complete a thorough assessment of your home and provide you with a free services quote based on your home’s repair needs.