How pumps work
 

Welcome to our pumps Archive. Have fun brosing!

 

Article #489: Basement Flooding & Water Removal

(Browse for more articles)

 
Do you have the flooded basement blues? water is going to end up? Drip, drip,
Due to their nature, being underground drip… down to the basement!
structures, basements are prone to water Remember that faulty gutter system? Is
damage. It doesn't take a river rainwater draining properly or is it
overflowing its banks or a major collecting in the soil that's pressing
hurricane to flood a basement. In fact, against your basement walls? Make sure
basement flooding often occurs due to that your home's gutters are draining
water build up in the surrounding soil. properly - away from the foundation and
So what's a home owner to do? Prevention basement. Does the ground near your home
is always the best medicine, especially slope away from it or toward it? Ideally,
when it comes to your home. As little as the ground should slope away. If not,
an inch of water can cause thousands of consider grading the soil.
dollars of damage. Even small leaks can Sump pumps are increasingly being used as
become major disasters when mold takes a preventative tool. In the past, sump
over. If your basement isn't flooded now, pumps were used after flooding occurred.
take the necessary precautions to prevent Now, many municipalities have restricted
the most common basement flooding builders from routing rainwater from
problems. You'll save yourself a great gutters to the sewer systems as they try
deal of heartache (and money) later. to comply with the Clean Water Act. If
First, if you have block walls, use a the water isn't carried away from your
waterproof coating using the foundation and basement, flooding can
manufacturer's spread rate occur.
specifications. Don't skimp! You may even The sump pump acts to remove water from
need a second coat if water seepage the lowest sections of the basement, even
continues after the first application. below the basement floor. A sump hole
Use a waterproof coating that is collects rising ground water. The sump
specifically formulated to block water pump kicks in when the water reaches a
passing through due to hydrostatic "critical" level and begins pumping the
pressure. water out. The water is pumped through a
What is hydrostatic pressure? This is pipe that diverts it away from your
pressure caused by water in the soil home's foundation and basement.
which could include the water table, rain Many different types of sump pumps are on
runoff flowing toward your home the market. Most use a "float" which
underground, or even your home's own activates the pump when the water reaches
gutter system. a certain level. Some are designed to
Other prevention steps include fixing work underwater while others are not
leaks, ensuring proper drainage, and meant to get wet. Different materials
installing a sump pump. Leaks in the such as plastic and cast iron affect the
basement don't always originate down price and long term performance of the
below. For example, if you have a leaking pumps. In addition, sump pumps can be
toilet above, where do you think the powered by either water or electricity.






1 - A - B - C - D - E - F - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17 - 18 - 19 - 20 - 21 - 22 - 23 - 24 - 25 - 26 - 27 - 28 - 29 - 30 - 31 - 32 - 33 - 34 - 35 - 36 - 37 - 38 - 39 - 40 - 41 - 42 - 43 -