Prevent Basement Flooding in Your Home Following These Steps
by Admin
Posted on 20-02-2025 12:37 PM
The sound of heavy rain makes all home owners run downstairs to check their basement floor and looking for flooding. If you're one of the many homeowners who struggle with basement flooding after a heavy rainfall, don’t worry – you’re not alone. A major basement flood is a reason to call an emergency plumber , as it can cause serious damage to your home and belongings, so you need to take steps to keep the basement floor and basement walls dry. The short answer is there are numerous preventive measures you can take to protect your home from a flooded basement, which include: installing a battery backup sump pump, sealing any foundation cracks, and maintaining your sewer and water lines.
2 min read a flooded basement may be high on the list of a homeowner’s worst nightmares. An influx of water into the basement can damage your home’s foundation and lead to additional problems like mold and mildew. The cleanup after a basement flooding can be time-consuming and expensive, making basement flooding prevention essential. Discover what may cause your basement to flood and get tips on how to prevent basement flooding.
Basements are notoriously problematic for water problems because they are built below grade. Add in various reasons inside and out. From the inside, problems like foundation cracks, improper sealing, plumbing leaks, faulty sump pumps, and even door and window leaks can cause basement flooding. Poor grading around your home and failures of your gutter system or perimeter drainage can result in flooding risks originating from outside your home. We've seen some crazy home insurance claims , so we know a thing or two about protecting virginia basements from water damage. While the causes and the cost of recovery can sound overwhelming, the right measures can prevent 93% of water damage incidents.
Install a Sump Pump
Properly maintain your home’s plumbing and drainage systems, install a sump pump, and ensure your gutters and downspouts work properly.
A sump pump is the best line of defense against basement flooding, no matter where it came from. Install a sump pump in the lowest part of the basement and pump any water out. The sump pump should have a battery-powered backup to ensure it will run in a power outage or storm. You should inspect this regularly. Keep drains clean and clear and ensure the pump is well-maintained so it won’t fail when you need it most.
The ion technologies team of in-house pump experts are easily accessible by phone or email. Contractors with pre-sale questions, installation guidance or the rare post-installation troubleshoot can connect with our customer service team to receive the best support and technical help. Whether you’re a veteran plumber or a basement repair contractor who occasional services sump pumps, our customer service backed sump pump solutions will ensure you provide your residential end users with reliable basement flood prevention measures.
Get a French Drain
The slope of your yard may be contributing to your water issues. If your yard slopes toward your house, then water will be directed toward your home. One common fix is to re-grade your yard or install a french drain to direct the water away from your foundation.
The ideal solution is to waterproof the foundation and that's best done during construction. Since it's too late for that, your next best option is to waterproof after the fact. This is best done from the outside, involves excavation & back filling and can usually be quite expensive. Even when it's done, there's no guarantee that it'll stop all water ingress, especially since it won't waterproof under the floor. A french drain around the inside wall of the foundation (local code permitting), draining into a sump pit which is then emptied by a sump pump is the bog standard way of dealing with water that gets into a basement.
Weeping tiles (also known as a french drain) are pipes with small holes located underground near your basement foundations to collect groundwater/rainwater. Their purpose is for waterproofing basements. Weeping tiles may drain into a solid pipe leading to a discharge or directly into a sump, where the water can be removed by a sump pump; however, it depends on your home’s drainage system. Check the corners of your basement regularly and if the floor is damp/wet, your weeping tiles may not be working properly and may need to be repaired or replaced. If your weeping tiles are connected to the sewer system, it is recommended that you disconnect it and install a sump pump and/or backwater valve (see maintain your plumbing system under the inside the house section below for more information).
Some homeowners may overlook broken basement water supply lines as a reason for basement flooding. However, failing to fix these types of issues quickly only leads to bigger problems down the line. If you have a broken water pipe in your home, turn your main water valve off and contact a local plumber as soon as possible to avoid further basement flooding issues from occurring.