With about two feet of snow melting around you this week, here are some things to check on in order to protect your house from water seepage. Even though 24 inches of snow may melt down to only about two inches of water, last summer's drought may have caused some problems for your foundation - problems that will start showing up now.
First, make certain that your downspouts are clear and flowing well. And, if a downspout is usually connected to an extension of some sort, make certain that is connected now. You want to keep the snow melt water flowing away from the foundation of your home.
Next, make certain that water does not pool up behind a wall of snow that melts at a slower rate. If you shoveled snow into a pile as you cleared a walkway, for example, that pile might now be trapping water between it and the foundation. Since the drought caused dirt to compact and often shrink away from foundations, there may now be a gap between the foundation and the fill dirt surrounding it. Water loves to find gaps like that, so do your best to keep it away from your foundation.
Finally, check your basement wall for signs of water. The drought caused many foundations to shift as the ground receded and moved last summer. And that shifting may have caused new cracks in your basement wall to form and may have worsened existing cracks. If you find signs of water entering your home, make a mental note to do something about it in case we get our usual spring rains in Kansas City. Make a note to perhaps seal cracks that you find are leaking. And definitely make a note to change or improve your "yard slope", as they call it, to keep water flowing away from your foundation and out into the yard for drainage.
Whole house inspections, condo inspections, radon testing, mold testing, and more, we do it all for you. Call or E-mail today to schedule your Complete Home Inspection, 913-268-0222, www.completehomeinspectionkc.com.
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