How to Keep Your Basement Dry During the Winter Thaw

We’ve had weeks of below-zero temperatures and a solid foot of snow parked in our yards. Now the forecast is shifting into the 30s and 40s, and a whole lot of melting is happening. While that feels like progress, it’s actually one of the riskiest times of year for basement moisture problems.

Why? Because all that snow has to go somewhere, and if your home isn’t ready, it often heads straight for your foundation. So here’s how to stay ahead of snowmelt season and keep your basement dry while winter makes its messy exit.

Start with the Foundation

Your foundation is ground zero when the snow starts to melt. Take a walk around your home and look closely for cracks, gaps, or areas where water could sneak in. Even hairline cracks can become entry points once meltwater builds up.

Seal visible cracks with a quality waterproof masonry sealant, and pay attention to where the ground meets your foundation. If the soil has settled and now slopes toward the house, melting snow will follow that path right inside. Long-term, regrading may be needed, but even small fixes now can make a difference.

Clear Snow Away, Especially Now

Snow removal isn’t just about shoveling walkways. As temperatures rise, snow piled along the foundation, bulkhead, or basement windows becomes a slow-release water source.

Pull snow away from:

• Foundation walls

• Basement windows and window wells

• Bulkheads and exterior stairwells

This gives meltwater room to disperse instead of pooling against your home. Think of it as redirecting traffic before there’s a pileup.

Make Sure Gutters Can Handle the Thaw

When snow melts from the roof, gutters and downspouts become critical. If they’re clogged with leaves, ice, or debris, water will overflow and dump straight at your foundation, exactly where you don’t want it.

Check that:

• Gutters are clear and securely attached

• Downspouts are open and directing water several feet away from the house

• Ice hasn’t pulled gutters loose or changed their pitch

This is one of the most common causes of basement water during a thaw and one of the easiest to prevent.

Don’t Ignore Window Wells

Basement window wells love to collect snow, ice, and debris. When everything melts at once, those wells can fill up like a bathtub and leak straight through window frames.

Clear them out now and make sure the drains at the bottom are open and functioning. If you’ve had issues in the past, window well covers can help keep snow and water out altogether.

Prepare from the Inside, Too

If moisture does get in, you want to limit the damage. Interior waterproof coatings on basement walls can help reduce seepage, and a dehumidifier can keep humidity levels under control during the thaw, when damp air is common.

Condensation plus cold surfaces equals moisture, so controlling humidity helps prevent mold and musty smells from taking hold.

Test Your Sump Pump Before You Need It

Snowmelt can overwhelm a sump pump fast. Now is the time to test it, not during the first warm rain on top of melting snow.

Pour water into the sump pit to confirm it turns on, pumps efficiently, and drains properly outside. Clear any debris, and make sure the discharge pipe isn’t blocked by snow or ice.

If your sump pump fails during a thaw, water can rise quickly and cleanup is never fun.

A winter thaw might feel like relief, but it’s also when many homeowners discover problems they didn’t know they had. A little attention now can save you from water damage, mold, and expensive repairs later.

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. For remodeling or home improvement needs, call (860) 589-5155 or visit http://www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.

Melting Snow Means Winter Basement Leaks

With warmer temperatures and plenty of melted snow, now is a good time to check your basement for excess humidity and leaks.

The basement is the place where water damage will most likely occur and it’s a huge problem for homeowners. Standing water can find its way into your basement through non-structural cracks in poured concrete walls or deteriorated joints in masonry walls. Poorly fitted or old basement windows, as well as utility openings, can also let water in. With a ton of fast-melting snow like what we had this week, it’s easier than you can imagine for moisture to get in where it shouldn’t.

The best line of defense for a dry basement is to make sure that the water is directed away from the foundation of the house. Inspect your gutters and downspouts to see if they are working the way they should be and also check to see that the ground right around your home is higher than the rest of the yard. Having the yard grade at its highest around the perimeter of the foundation will ensure water drains away from the house instead of into it.  

If you think your house is susceptible to leaks, you can also use a waterproofing membrane or coating to seal the foundation or basement area. However, if you have regular water problems, you may need to have a drainage or sump pump system installed by a professional.

Even if you don’t have a leak issue, the basement can get pretty damp from now through April, which creates the perfect environment for mold and mildew to grow and fester. To get rid of the excess water, I always like to run a dehumidifier in the basement as the weather warms up. A dehumidifier works by pulling the moisture out of the air and storing the excess water in a holding tank. Many people keep dehumidifiers in their basement all year long to control the dampness that can often be felt in underground areas, but I find it especially useful this time of year.

You can find out if your basement is holding a lot of moisture by purchasing a simple five-dollar humidity gauge from the local hardware store. Ideally, you want the humidity to be under 50%. If it’s higher, a dehumidifier might be a good solution. Generally, a unit will come in 25, 30, and 40-pint models, and on average a 25-pint unit will be sufficient to control the moisture in a 1,000 square foot area.

One last word of advice - if you have a dehumidifier or plan on getting one, please be sure to empty it regularly and keep the filter clean. A simple wipe down with a damp cloth and spray bottle will do the trick to keep you breathing freely and ensure a longer life for the appliance.

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions for Bob to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.

Rain Means Basement Leaks Abound in Spring

Winter and spring are the times when homeowners find that a leak has sprung in their house. During the colder months of December, January, and February, it’s generally the roof that’s a worry. But as March hits and spring starts to edge closer, the basement takes centerstage. 

As the temperature warms, residual snow melts, the rain becomes more frequent, and the ground gets saturated with water. This water can find its way into the basement through non-structural cracks in poured concrete walls or deteriorated joints in masonry walls. Poorly fitted or old basement windows can also let water in, as well as utility openings. 

The best line of defense against a wet basement is to make sure that the water is directed away from the foundation. Inspect your gutters and downspouts to see if they are flushing out the way they should be and also check to see that the ground right around the house is higher than the rest of the yard. Having the yard grade at its highest around the perimeter of the foundation will ensure water drains away from the house instead of into it.  

If you think your home is susceptible to leaks, you can also use a waterproofing membrane or coating to seal the foundation or basement area. However, if you have regular leaking problems, you may need to have a drainage or sump pump system installed by a professional. 

Even if you don’t have a leak problem, the basement can get pretty damp in the springtime which creates the perfect environment for nasty mold and mildew. To get rid of the excess water, I always like to run a dehumidifier in the basement as the weather warms up. 

A dehumidifier works by pulling the moisture out of the air and storing the excess water in a holding tank. Many people keep dehumidifiers in their basement all year long to control the dampness that can often be felt in underground areas, but I find it especially useful this time of year. You can find out if your basement is holding a lot of moisture by purchasing a simple five-dollar humidity gauge from the local hardware store. Ideally, you want the humidity to be under 50%. 

One last word of advice - if you have a dehumidifier or plan on getting one, please be sure to empty it regularly and keep the filter clean. A simple wipe down with a damp cloth and spray bottle will do the trick to keep you breathing freely and ensure a longer life for the appliance.

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions for Bob to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.