The TikTok Community's Easy Tips To Keep Water Out Of Your Basement On A Budget
If you have ever been unfortunate enough to discover that water made its way into your basement, you know just how frustrating it can be. Water damage in a basement can cause structural issues that put your entire house at risk. It often leads to mold and mildew growth, too. This threatens your entire family's health. Basement water damage is obviously a major problem, so it is important to know how to prevent it. Thankfully, the TikTok community has quite a few easy tips to help keep water out of your basement on a budget. Some of the easier TikTok tips include proper gutter maintenance, downspout extensions, and using dirt to keep water out.
Although these solutions may take a bit of time and effort, they will likely save you thousands in the long run. Appropriate water damage prevention can help you avoid costly repairs and prevent your basement from flooding. These projects are simple enough to complete yourself, so you do not have to worry about paying professionals. However, you may want to call experts if you have already identified hidden water damage.
Use a downspout extender and a dirt barrier
TikTok user @grantwarrington took to the platform to share two affordable methods for keeping water out of your basement. For the first method, all you need is a bag of dirt. Distribute the dirt around the outside of your basement as shown in the video. According to @grantwarrington, this will redirect water away from your basement. This is because of the absorbency of the dirt. Creating a downward slope with the dirt will help with this as well.
The second tip @grantwarrington showed was to simply attach an extension to your downspout. Short downspouts release the water they contain close to foundation of your home. This can cause liquid to pool around that area, which allows water to make its way into your basement. It may even damage the foundation of your home. You can add a downspout extension as shown in the video so that the water is carried far enough away from your home to avoid this costly damage. You should be able to purchase a downspout extension from your local home improvement store. They are often priced under $10, making them super budget friendly. If you would prefer to order one online, you might be interested in Home Depot's Flex A Spout 55 in. Black Vinyl Downspout Extension. It is only $8.67.
Keep your gutters clean and consider waterproofing
A separate TikTok posted by @luke_pettersenrealtor highlighted a few more tips that you might find helpful. Many were also shown in the video shared by @grantwarrington, such as the downspout extension and pouring dirt around the foundation of your home. Since there are multiple TikTok creators recommending these prevention methods, it might be safe to say that they work. The video shared by @luke_pettersenrealtor also highlighted the importance of proper gutter maintenance. You need to check them periodically to ensure that they are clear of debris like dead leaves. If your gutters are blocked, water can drain down into your basement.
After using these tips, you might also find it helpful to waterproof your basement with the help of an expert. This can be accomplished using a few different methods. Sealants and epoxy injections are one of the methods used along basement walls to help keep water out. An interior drainage system can also be installed. Finally, polymers and membranes are another popular method used on the outside of basement walls. Waterproofing to provide an extra layer of protection can help you avoid musty basement smells and hazardous damage.