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Learning About Fire Prevention, Causes and Educating Kids

We all live our lives day to day thinking that nothing bad will happen. We never think that we will be the ones dealing with the cleanup of a house fire. Unfortunately, there are many, many families that suffer the impact of house fires each year. Last year, a close friend of mine was a victim of a house fire and since then, my life has been different. I have spent many hours researching fire prevention, causes, and teaching children about fire prevention and what to do in the case of a fire. It is my hope that my research can help those of you concerned about house fires make the necessary changes in your home and teach your kids what they need to know about fire.

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Learning About Fire Prevention, Causes and Educating Kids

Three Things That You Should Check Before Waterproofing Your Basement

by Pedro Taylor

Most people automatically assume that they need to waterproof their entire basement if they notice a leak. However, just because you've spotted a leak in your basement, it might not need to be waterproofed. There are numerous reasons why basements leak — and your basement could be leaking from a combination of several things. So, before you hire someone to waterproof your basement, you should try to find the source of the leak by examining these three things.

Gutters and Downspouts

When you discover water in your basement, the roof probably isn't a place that you immediately think to check. However, if your home's drainage system isn't forcing water away from your house properly, water can puddle up around your foundation, which can then seep into your basement from any small crack. To examine your home's drainage system:

  1. Remove any debris and leaves from your gutters.
  2. Force water down each downspout using a hose to ensure the downspout isn't clogged.
  3. Cover your gutters with a gutter guard to keep debris from clogging your home's drainage system.
  4. Examine the bottom of each downspout to make sure it sits away from the foundation of your home. If the bottom of the downspout is close to your house, put a concrete splash block under it or attach a downspout extender to it so that the water flows away from your foundation.

Basement Windows

Did you know that rainwater can seep into your basement from below your basement windows and around the window seal? To keep water from coming into your basement from the windows, install basement window covers on the outside of the windows. These covers are typically plastic and shaped like half of a dome, so that as the rainwater hits them, it slides down the cover away from your house.

Shrubbery

Shrubs are a popular option for flower beds because they are easy to maintain. However, if your shrubs are too dense, they could be blocking the sunlight from the soil beneath them, which means that the soil takes longer to dry after it rains. If rainwater stays in the soil for a long time, it can seep into your basement through any small crack in your home's foundation. Also, when you're trimming back your shrubs, you should inspect the soil to make sure it hasn't shifted. Soil naturally shifts over time, and if the soil surrounding your shrubs has shifted so that it slopes toward your house, rainwater will sit against your foundation. If you discover shifts in the soil, simply add more soil to the area to level it out.

Any time you find a leak in your basement, it's disconcerting. Hopefully, by inspecting other areas of your house, you can easily fix the problem. However, even if you do correct problems with your house's drainage system, your shrubbery, and your basement windows, you should still consider having a professional inspect your basement. This way, if part of your problem is caused because basement waterproofing is needed, it can be done as soon as possible.

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