Basement Leaking and Flooding

Whether it's a small leak in a corner or a major flood, water in the basement is not something you want to live with. A small basement leak is an early sign of a problem that will continue to worsen over time, either gradually or suddenly in a large rainstorm.

Wet basements mean damaged building materials such as drywall, wood, and carpeting. They also mean problems with stored items that are vulnerable to water damage, such as boxes, clothing, books, and furniture. Homes with leaking basements- even small ones- become much more difficult to sell, and as a consequence, the homeowner will need to ask for less than the house is really worth to find a willing buyer.

For a crew of basement waterproofers, fixing a basement leak usually takes a day to complete, although very large installations can take as long as three days. However, if you already have a system in place, a serviceman can usually solve the problem in just a couple hours. Below are the most common causes of basement leaks:

Groundwater Leaking
Groundwater can enter the home through cracks in the walls and floors, but it most commonly enters the basement through the wall/floor joint. This happens as moisture fills up the earth around a basement, where a false water table exists around your home. Basement windows are also a point of entry for water from the outside of the basement.

Sump Pump Failure
In a basement waterproofing system, one sump pump is all that may stand between you and a basement flood. And the difference between a flooded basement and a dry one could be as small as the way your sump pump system turns itself on.

What causes a sump pump to fail, and how problems with sump pumps be avoided? Click to read more about sump pump failure.

Clogged or Frozen Discharge Lines
Clogging sump pump discharge lines due to dirt, animals, or debris will render your sump pump unusable. And in the winter, leftover water in the discharge lines can freeze, forcing your waterproofing system to back up and leading to basement flood.

Learn what we do to fix these problems and avoid future ones-- click to read more about clogged or frozen discharge lines.

Home Plumbing Failures
With all the sinks, showers, tubs, toilets, pipes, refrigerator lines, washing machines, water heaters, and other plumbing sources in the home, something is bound to break sooner or later. When they do, you'll have hundreds of gallons per hour gushing into your home. Don't wait for this to happen!

Read more to find out what you can do to protect yourself from basement flooding due to bad plumbing. Click to read more about plumbing failures.

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