After years of widespread doubts about its existence, it’s nearly impossible to deny the reality of climate change now. With extreme weather events becoming more frequent and sea levels rising worldwide, it’s clear that humans’ impact on the environment is now irreversible.
One effect of climate change? More frequent — and more severe — droughts and floods. If you think it’s a nuisance now when your basement leaks when it rains, be prepared for increasingly worse basement water leaks and floods. A 2013 World Bank study found that climate change could result in annual flood damage costs exceeding $1 trillion for the world’s coastal cities.
To save yourself from the costs of repairing water damage in your home’s foundation, here are some ways you can prepare for the worsening impact of climate change on homeowners and their homes’ basement water leaks:
When moving to a new house, check flood maps
As stated before, all the world’s population centers located around coastlines can be expected to be hit the worst by climate change. Because of this, you shouldn’t relocate before consulting a flood map to see which areas are at risk of frequent flooding. If you can’t avoid moving to a coastal area, buy a home that is at an elevated height to avoid chronic basement water leaks and water damage.
Keep valuables out of the basement
With increasingly strong flooding, basement waterproofing might not always be able to prevent water leaks through your foundation. To minimize the damage of these floods, make sure you keep all your valuables in the upper parts of your home.
Invest in a foundation sealing
One of the best ways to keep water damage at bay is to have your home’s foundation sealed. It’s a good idea even if you don’t live in a coastal area — just take a look at the numerous floods that plagued the midwest this summer. If you’re custom-building your next home, you should choose flood damage-resistant building materials.
Have you already had to look into foundation repair or foundation sealing to fix basement flooding in your home? Share your experiences with us in the comments below.