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