3 Simple Fall Clean-ups for a Dry Winter Basement

Sep 16, 2015

Brace yourselves New Englanders, the leaves are beginning to turn color and that means that the white wintery stuff is not too far off in the future.  Let’s just focus on the Fall today though, shall we?

There are plenty of chores and Fall clean-up activities to be done when the leaves start falling and the days and nights become crisp and chilly.  Removing window A/C units, raking the leaves and fertilizing the lawn are just a few of the chores that we automatically do in the Fall but have you thought about how to prepare your basement?

Here are 3 simple and easy things to do during the Fall that will help to keep your basement dry and healthy from over the Winter and into the early Spring.

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Remove debris from gutters ~ remove leaf and other debris from the gutters.  Clearing the channel will ensure the proper  flow of water through your gutters. This will help rainwater and snow-melt to properly drain away from the foundation.

Clear debris from window wells ~ window wells collect all kinds of debris that you may never have thought about.  If your window wells are clean and free from debris, the air flow will be better and also, moisture will also be limited.

Remove leaves (and other debris) from around the foundation ~ leaves collect moisture and restrict water flow. Rain and melting snow will not flow away from the home’s foundation if leaves and other debris are piled up.

The tip-sheet is available for download; simply click the image and the PDF opens in a new window.  You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open and view the file.