Spring Into Action and Waterproof Your NJ Basement Before Hurricanes & Nor’easter

Keep Your New Jersey Home Stronger Than the Storm With Basement Waterproofing

After what felt like an especially long winter, we can finally see summer on the horizon. Time to fire up the grill, kick back and catch up on some much-needed Vitamin D. But before stocking up on the suntan lotion, take a moment to think about your spring to-do list. Get the air conditioner serviced, check. Power wash the house, check. Clean out the gutters and downspouts, check. Waterproof the basement…check?

It’s tough to think about something like hurricanes when the weather is just starting to get beautiful. But as we all know, summer storms are just as inevitable as the summer sunshine. So before temperatures really start to rise and you slip into full-on summer mode, now is the perfect time to take care of business with your NJ basement.

New Jersey Basements ‘Seas’ and Feels the Impact of Hurricane Season

We might not experience the number of hurricanes that Florida and North Carolina do, but we can certainly feel their impact in New Jersey. We know this all too well from some of the most recent storms such as Hurricane Ida, Hurricane Irene, and of course, Hurricane Sandy. In fact, New Jersey was listed in the top fifteen states that have experienced the most direct hurricane hits between the years 1851 to 2020. And even when we aren’t directly hit by hurricanes, we are named #10 in the list of top ten rainiest states during the summer. So it goes without saying that when it comes to water, we New Jerseyans see plenty of it!

How Can Basement Waterproofing Help?

While you can’t prevent a hurricane from reaching shore, you can prevent water from infiltrating your basement. The best line of defense against any hurricane that hits New Jersey is basement waterproofing. Here in NJ, basement waterproofing can take on many different forms and will ultimately depend on your situation. Here are some of the waterproofing strategies we’re likely to recommend during a free on-site estimate.

French Drain Installation

If your basement is constantly flooding, an Interior French drain will keep your living space nice and dry. This interior waterproofing system is installed around the perimeter of your basement and will redirect water to a sump pit. From there, the sump pump will push the water up and out through the discharge line, far away from your home.

Sump Pump Installation

A sump pump is a homeowner’s lifeline during heavy rainfall. Once a French drain system is installed, the drain will redirect water down into a sump pit. The sump pump activates when it detects rising water in the sump basin. Once the pump is activated, it will pump and discharge all of that water away from your basement to prevent basement flooding. At Blue Umbrella, we install heavy-duty sump pumps with emergency battery backup pumps to ensure that even in the event of a power outage, your sump pump will continue to do its job.

Exterior Landscape Drains

Sometimes the issue is less about the amount of rainfall and more about the amount of standing water. Without proper drainage in place, water will pool around your home and with the help of hydrostatic pressure, will enter your basement or crawl space. Whether your home lacks proper drainage or your home rests on a downward slope, we can help redirect the water. We’ll either install new exterior drainage and/or improve the grading of your home to ensure gravity is on your side.

Crack Repair

Cracks in your basement walls are an open invitation for water damage, bug infestations, and more. Rather than leaving your home vulnerable to the next hurricane or heavy rainfall, you can call us to seal those cracks and provide prompt basement leak repairs. Check out our recent blog post about foundation waterproofing and structural basement repair and why this type of work is best left to trained professionals.

Dehumidifier Installation

Basement waterproofing involves redirecting water away from your home. But it’s also important to note that due to hydrostatic pressure, water will still seep through the foundation. A basement humidifier will help remove moisture from the air and prevent other water-related issues such as mold growth, mildew, foul odor, and allergen buildup.

Crawl Space Encapsulation

Even though we don’t use crawl spaces in the same ways we use basements, it’s still important to keep these spaces dry. Air naturally rises, which means you’re breathing in any allergens or mold that’s present in your crawl space. Encapsulating (AKA waterproofing) your crawl space will help protect your home’s foundational structure and improve your indoor air quality.

We’ve Got Your Back and Will Help With FEMA Funding in New Jersey

Blue Umbrella is a New Jersey waterproofing company through and through. In other words, we know the lay of the land and how to help homeowners navigate the aftermath of a hurricane. 

If your home has already experienced water damage and you want to waterproof it for the future, contact us online or give us a call to schedule an on-site estimate. If you’re already in the process of trying to obtain funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and FEMA contacts us, we’ll advocate on your behalf when we believe, based on our findings, that the damage was caused by a natural disaster. This will help you obtain the necessary funds to repair your home and prevent future basement flooding.

Why Take a Chance Tomorrow When You Can Take Care of Business Today?

Hurricane season officially starts on June 1. With summer storms on the horizon, spring is the perfect time to waterproof your New Jersey basement and prevent basement flooding in the long term. We all know that hurricanes are unpredictable and can gain momentum very quickly. We also know that the trajectory of a storm can change at a moment’s notice. One second you think you’re in the clear and the next, you’re scrambling to board up the windows. 

With the help of our NJ waterproofers, you can have peace of mind that your basement or crawl space will weather through every storm. Waterproofing is all we do and according to your NJ neighbors, we do it right!

To schedule a free on-site estimate for your New Jersey home with our waterproofing contractors, call Blue Umbrella Waterproofing at 908.432.8858 or contact us online today.