SCHAUMBURG, Ill., April 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Due to the extreme cold weather and heavier snow falls in the Midwest this past winter, combined with the upcoming rains, the potential for water seepage problems this spring is greater than in past, according to Barry Schilling, Vice President, Sales and Marketing for U.S. Waterproofing, the Midwest's largest basement waterproofing company.

The company announced some spring cleaning tips that can prevent homeowners from experiencing costly basement seepage issues this year and in the future.

"Most people associate spring cleaning with taking clutter out of storage and getting rid of some of the shaggier winter clothes," Schilling said. "But we encourage people to think of spring cleaning this year as a good time to make sure the things which are vital to keeping their basement and/or crawl space dry are in the proper working order."

   Schilling offers the following tips:    -- Carefully inspect the gutters and downspouts for damage because heavy      snow and ice can cause significant damage to them.  A damaged guttering      system can create a multitude of seepage problems in both basements and      crawl spaces.   -- If the home has window well covers, they can break from ice and snow      falling from the roof.  Check the covers as well as clean the inside of      the well to insure proper drainage.   -- Check the sump pump discharge piping on the exterior of the building to      make sure it is not cracked or broken from freezing during the extreme      cold weather.   -- Make sure the sump pump is working properly.  It can be checked by      connecting a garden hose to the laundry sink faucet and running water      into the sump basin.  Let the water run for a while and look to see      that the pump keeps cycling before the water rises above the inlet      pipes that feed the water into the sump basin.  If there is any      question as to the condition of the pump, it is a good idea to replace      it.   -- If the house has a back-up sump pump, the water level in the battery      should be checked (unless it is the maintenance-free type).  The      battery terminals should be checked for corrosion and cleaned.  If      corrosion is found, simply disconnect the terminal, clean all the metal      parts with a cola beverage, and use a small wire brush to wipe the      battery post and terminal clean to insure proper connection.  Finally,      apply grease to the battery terminals to help protect them from the      elements.    U.S. Waterproofing  

U.S. Waterproofing is a full-service basement waterproofing company offering permanent solutions for almost all causes of basement seepage. With more than 200,000 dry basements to its credit, the company services residential and business owners in northern Illinois, northwest Indiana, and southern Wisconsin. U.S. Waterproofing is affiliated with the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI). For more information on their services, history and management, please visit http://www.seepage.com/.

   Contact:   Rebecca Kopf       Mark Ricotta              815.282.9976       815.654.0227              rkopf@pretc.net    mricotta@pretc.net  

U.S. Waterproofing

CONTACT: Rebecca Kopf, +1-815-282-9976, rkopf@pretc.net, or MarkRicotta, +1-815-654-0227, mricotta@pretc.net, both of PR Etc., for U.S.Waterproofing

Web site: http://www.seepage.com/