It's time to keep your basement drier!

Ask any experienced home inspector how may homes they see where soil is properly graded away from the home and the answer is likely to be few if any. Oddly enough the lack of proper grading is the major cause of water infiltration into basements.

Stains on basement perimeter walls on the interior of where downspouts discharge on the outside are an indication roof water is discharging against the foundation wall on the other side.

The vast majority of basement leakage problems are the result of insufficient control of storm water at the
surface.

The ground around the house should be sloped to encourage water to flow away from the foundations. Gutters
and downspouts should act to collect roof water and drain the water at least five (5) feet from the foundation, or
into a functional storm sewer.

Downspouts that are clogged or broken below grade level, or that discharge too close to the foundation, are the
most common sources of basement leakage.

Current fears about mold growth in damp basements are another reason grading improvements should be a real
priority for all home owners.

http://www.AccurateInspections.com
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Michael Del Greco is President of Accurate Inspections, Inc, a New Jersey Home Inspection firm. He has taught New Jersey home inspector licensing classes, CEU classes for home inspectors and will be assisting in rewriting the National Home Inspector Exam. Michael can be reached at 973-812-5100