Preventing Water in Your Basement

Unfortunately there isn't a lot you can do at this point to prevent water from running into your basement during the spring melt if you have poor grading around your house, but this is definitely something to take a look at after the snow melts. 

With proper grading it is said that you can stop 90% of all water from coming into homes.  As a home inspector it is emphasize enough the importance of lot grading.  Proper grading facilitates drainage of surface water away from your house resulting in fewer water problems in your crawl space or basement.  Ground that slopes toward a home (or any building) funnels water from rain or snow (all 73" of it this year!) against the building and can cause considerable damage.

The common recommendation is to have a 6" drop in your soil in the first 6 feet away from your house.  If you need to add dirt around your house to build up the grade, be sure to leave 4-6" of clearance from your siding to the ground. 

Finally, before the snow melts make sure your downspouts are attached and are a minimum of 6 feet long to take the water away from your house.