Three things you can do for your basement now.

1-Gutter extensions. Put them on. Most homes that have water problems in their basements could resolve the issue by doing this one thing. No water in the basement, still, you need to make sure these are on, your gutters are clean, and water is draining away from your foundation. Water that doesn’t drain away from the home, may not always cause a wet basement but it can cause big problems nonetheless.
All that water has to go somewhere. If you’ve ever watched the amount of water that flows off the roof during a rain, you understand the issue. I that water flows back against the foundation it is taking soil with it and may cause excessive settling issues with the home. This problem will show up in cracked drywall, but most likely in cracking in the block foundation. While cracks are not uncommon in older homes, cracks that show movement are an indication of foundation issues. You may also notice the foundation walls being pushed in due to the excessive moisture freezing and pushing against the basement walls. This is what is known as hydrostatic pressure.
Either way, if you go to sell the home you’ll have to fix these issues and the fixes are expensive. So get out there, put on the extensions, and take the extra step of screwing them on to the downspouts with some self-tapping metal screws.

2-While you’re out there, take a look at where any concrete steps, patios, or sidewalks meet the foundation. If there has been settling issues these may be sloping towards the home and could also be a cause of water running against the foundation. You can have these fixed by having a concrete company come out and “mud-jack” them back to level. If they are not sloping but have moved some from the foundation, you should take the time to seal up this crack. Companies that reseal driveways offer this service, otherwise go out to a hardware store and get some Quickrete Crack Seal. It comes ready to go and you just squeeze the bottle and it self-levels into the crack.

3-Dehumidifier. “This basement smells wet.” I hear it all the time when I show homes. Bad smells are the worst things you can have when you are selling your home. Damp basements smell like mold, enough said. This issue can almost always be resolved with a dehumidifier. But don’t wait until you sell, damp basements over time will leave stains on walls, encourage mold growth, etc. Find a dehumidifier and turn it on and let it run constantly. A good one is worth the investment

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