Flooded basement can be avoided if you know the sources of such problem. Once you have located the sources of basement flooding, you have to fix them right away. Locating the source of problem can be a bit difficult because source of water entry can be located from inside and outside your home.
Flooded basement may be caused by water entry into the basement through cracks in the wall. Check every inch of your basement wall inside and outside. If you see any crack, patch it up with a water-proof sealant. Repairing the walls outside, though, is more effective done doing it inside. Foundation walls to the footings may need to be excavated to fully expose and repair the crack inside out. If the cracks are small, seal with water-resistant grout. If the exposed cracks are large, contact a structural engineer to see how repair can be done.
You’d know there’s something wrong with your foundation drain if water accumulates at the junction between floor and wall, seeps to the basement floor, and shows at holes. Impaired and malfunctioning foundation drain can result in your home having a flooded basement. Check you foundation drain for signs of missing tiles or crushed and plugged pipes. See to it also that the drainage tile is positioned below the basement floor.
Another common reason why you can have a flooded basement at home is when water from soil is “pulled” by hydrostatic pressure. Coat your foundation wall with waterproof membrane or bituminous coating if you use hydrostatic pressure in your home. The coating should cover from floor-wall joints to the top of the footing.
As additional precaution against flooded basement, add a clay dam around the walls of the foundation slightly below the topsoil will help re-direct surface water away from the house.
Downspouts and eaves troughs work hand in hand in collecting water from the roof and emptying it to the ground. If the downspouts are not directed away from the foundation of your house, water may instead leak and seep into your basement. The way to avoid flooded basement is to extend the downspouts to a few extra inches and make sure they are pointed away from your home at a distance of at least 6 feet. Increase also the grade around the foundation of your home so that it slopes away instead of toward your house.
Another possible way to avoid flooded basement is to make sure there’s no reason for water to stay inside your basement. The way to do this is to have a floor drain with a trap installed in your basement floor. Floor drains work a bit like sump pumps. If you have sump pumps in your basement, install one with cap to prevent gases from soil to enter your base. Install backwater valve in your sump pump if possible. Backwater valve can help prevent flooded basement caused by sewer backup.
Flooded basement may be common across the country but you can prevent it from happening in your own home by finding the root cause of the problem, then fixing it.
About the author of this article:
chris blastoyout writes about what’s important for homeowners for san francisco flooded basement service and philadelphia flood damage cleanup
