Landscaping Tips for a Wet Basement

Initial Home Buying

• When buying a home, make sure that the landscape does not slope toward the house or a greater quantity of water will accumulate near the foundation of the house, where water can gradually seep into the basement.

Landscaping Features

• Landscaping features should not interfere with drainage. Do not construct the walks as drainage avenues. Good perimeter drains sometimes get covered up during the landscaping stages of construction. As a result, rainwater has no place to go and builds up behind the foundation wall. Gradually, the water seeps into the basement.

Landscaping Activities

• Sometimes the underground drains do not have enough slope to carry the water away from the basement. During landscaping, this accumulating water can penetrate through the foundation, where the water can get into the basement.

Dead Drainage Areas

• The landscape should not have dead drainage areas near the foundation wall where the rain does not have anywhere to go and forms a pond near the foundation wall. The front entrance, garage, walkways and driveway are the most vulnerable to this problem.

Soil Alteration

• Water forms puddles at low spots, creating mini lakes. This water can then gradually seep into the foundation and through the basement. Filling in these low areas can encourage the water to flow in multiple directions, spreading the water out and allowing much of the water to evaporate or soak away from the foundation. You might have highly compact clay soil that blocks the flow of water through the ground. Water can get trapped and gradually seep through into the basement. If you can locate the compacted soil and remove it, the water will flow in more directions, reducing the quantity of water by the foundation.

Water Hungry Plants

• Place water hungry shrubs near areas where water tends to accumulate. These plants will suck the water up, use some of the water for growth and release the rest into the air through transpiration. However, these plants must be resistant to wet conditions. Otherwise, they may get root rot. Also, you will need to provide adequate water for the plant all year round.