Basement Water Damage Can Ruin Your Foundation

Basement water damage occurs from many different sources. You can have a damp basement, fully flooded basement or anywhere in between. How you will deal with each is completely different.

Flooding is one of the leading causes for insurance claims. It causes a lot of stress with cleanup and property loss. Some of the more common problem areas are:

• Walls that are saturated by ground water.


• An appliance, usually a washer, that has a leak.


• Sewer water backing up into the basement.

• Check your rain gutters. Make sure they are free of leaves by cleaning them yearly. Check to see they are properly attached and draining away from the foundation. Ideally, even though it doesn't necessarily look good, they should drain at least 4 feet away from the foundation.


• Are there any areas of your property that drain towards your home? Remember that pavement can settle and change with age.


• Has there been any settling around your foundation? Fill in with dirt if needed.


• Are all of your sprinklers working properly? If not, they may let off too much water. Check them monthly to make sure they aren't leaking.


• If your water problem is backing up into your basement. Contact a plumber. They will help you to determine if you need to contact the city water department.


• The exterior draintiles around the house are your first line of defense against any groundwater intrusion. The easiest way to fix this is to install a sump pump that will carry water away from your house. The interior draintile system will route water from the basement to the sump pump.


• If your appliances are the problem, check all of the hoses. Make sure they are connected properly and not broken. Replace them if needed.

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