Best Soil for Keeping Water Out of House

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My basement floods every spring and during heavy rains. I read your tip on sloping soil away from the house to deter water from collecting and making its way in. You said to use clean fill soil – not top soil. Can I use sand if I cover it with topsoil and grass? I have a bunch of sand with nothing to do with it, so I'm hoping to put it to good use here.

Our Answer

You need to find another use for all that sand, because sand will do nothing to help your leaky basement! Clean fill dirt works best because it's less pervious – that is, it lets in less water than top soil or sand. You want rainwater and precipitation to run over the soil, not through it and into your house. Another leading cause of leaky basements is improperly designed gutters. Extending gutters far enough from your home is another crucial form of protection against basement leaks, floods, and moisture.