ClickCease
Family owned basement contractors serving CT and MA
NEED HELP? 1-800-DRY-2211

How to Prevent a Flooded Basement in Your Home

Flooded Basement

Most parts of the country are experiencing a lot of precipitation and whether this is a consequence of global warming or not, you should be proactive in protecting your home against flood damage. If you have a basement in your home, the unique location of this room below the surface makes it susceptible to water entry even during dry weather.

The fact that water follows the point of least resistance makes a basement a perfect platform for flooding. Whatever your home’s location, the risk of a flooded basement is real and it is imperative to appreciate what needs to be done.

If you have noticed standing water in your basements, effervescence of the walls, wallpaper damage, wet rugs and carpets, or a musty odor in the basement, it is important to have a professional carry out further inspection. These are telltale signs of water entry and things could get worse during a flood.

Why Worry about Basement Flooding?

Failure to mitigate water in the basement puts the entire structure at risk due to ensuing foundation damage. Worse still, flood water causes devastation in the basement with valuables destroyed in a flash. If your home is prone to basement flooding, it will also lose value and this is why you need to consult a professional basement contractor in your area.

These professionals are fully equipped with diagnostic tools to identify the most likely source of water and carry out repairs before installing the best waterproofing system. It is advisable to have such regular basement inspections to ensure this space is safe in case of flooding.

Causes of Basement Flooding and Solutions

There are different causes of a flooded basement and each has a unique solution. These causes include:

  1. Surface water flooding: This is responsible for water entry through basement walls. Leaking pipes lead to soil saturation and more lateral pressure is applied against the walls. To prevent this problem, your contractor can install a French tile that collects all surface water and drives it away from your property.
  2. Poor surface drainage: This entails clogged pipes, broken pipes, improperly installed gutters and downspout among others. All these problems end up forcing water through the walls into the basement. Drainage repairs, extension of the downspout pipe are solutions to this problem
  3. Ground water: Water seeps through the ground as the water level rises during flooding. The problem can be solved through installation of a sump pump system that collects groundwater in a pit and pumps it away from the property.

There are other solutions including interior drainage systems, exterior wall waterproofing and proper grading among others. Your basement contractor will help choose the best technique to deal with flooded basement.