How to Stop a Basement From Flooding

Check to make sure your basement is waterproof. Identify different ways that water might enter your basement. Your roof's downspouts should be in good condition with a drain about 6 to 12-inches away from your house. If your downspout and drain do not meet these requirements, add sections for less than $5 for a 10-inch section.

Buy a dehumidifier with a drainage hose for the basement. The hose allows water to run into a drain in the floor or into a bucket to be emptied when the dehumidifier fills up. Keep the unit running all day and night from spring to autumn.

Install a sump pump along with a backup pump, if one is not already installed in the basement. Sump pumps remove water from under the floor of the basement and pump it out. Special backup pumps are useful during power failures when the sump pump stops working. You can buy a pump from a plumbing supplier that comes with instructions on how to install the unit.

Install a 6 mil plastic vapor on top of the concrete foundation. This plastic can protect carpet and other floor coverings from water damage. Place plastic on the concrete floor, overlapping the seams by at least 6-inches. Tape it down with a waterproof tape. Take the edges of the plastic up the sides of the walls, about 2-inches. Install your baseboard on top of the plastic layer.

Seal any cracks in the foundation of the basement. Paint walls with a high-quality waterproofing paint. You may want to hire a professional to seal all cracks in your concrete foundation with high pressure polyurethane foam injection. This will make sure no water seeps through the foundation. Some good contractors offer a 50-year warranty.