Seeing pools of standing water in your basement after heavy rainfall is a nightmare for every homeowner. The after-effect of basement floods during heavy rain is, at best, a hassle and, at worst, expensive. Water damages your belongings and weakens your home’s structure. Moreover, you may suffer from multiple health issues like breathing difficulties, headaches, and allergies associated with mold growth in your basement.
There are many practical solutions to prevent basement flooding, ranging from simple gutter cleanups to making investments in window well covers and sump pumps.
Read on to learn more about the factors that cause basement flooding and effective ways to prevent flooding throughout the year.
How Does Basement Flooding Happen?
While constant rainfall is one of the most common causes of flooding, there are other significant causes of standing water in basements. Here are some of the most common reasons why basement flooding happens:
- Hydrostatic pressure: A major cause of basement flooding is hydrostatic pressure. When the soil around your foundation walls becomes saturated with water, it expands and puts pressure on them. Whenever there is pressure outside your foundation, moisture enters your basement through cracks in the walls.
- Leaks: Cracked pipes in your drainage system result in leaks that cause water intrusion into the basement.
- Sump pump malfunction or failure: Your sump pump may fail due to a power outage, worn-out parts, or after a heavy rainfall or snowmelt flooding your basement.
- Foundation cracks: If your foundation has cracks or holes, water seeps into your basement after constant rainfall. If cracks are left untreated, large volumes of water will seep into your basement.
These issues demand proactive measures against basement flooding. At American Eagle Professional Services, Inc., we provide the solutions to seal your basement and prevent water intrusion from all possible sources.
How to Prevent Basement Flooding?
Basement flooding can occur for multiple reasons, including heavy rainfall, melting snow, poor drainage systems, failed sump pumps, or foundation cracks. To prevent water intrusion, we detect the underlying source of moisture, which helps us investigate the root cause of the damage and implement the necessary repairs before waterproofing the basement.
If you want to prevent basement flooding during heavy rain, below is a list of helpful flooding basement solutions that serve as preventative measures to tackle water problems and protect your home:
1. Keep Gutters and Downspouts Clean
Gutters and downspouts require regular cleaning and maintenance to direct water away from your basement efficiently. You must prioritize regular gutters and downspout cleaning because clogs can cause water to overflow into your basement.
During heavy rain, debris collection in gutters and downspouts causes large volumes of excess water to overflow, which may then enter your basement area. For regular maintenance, ensure that your gutters and downspouts are cleaned twice annually in the spring and the fall season.
If you have broken or leaky gutters, replace them immediately. Additionally, make sure that gutters are installed properly and a slope is maintained so that water runs easily toward the downspouts.
2. Ensure Slope in the Foundation
Proper sloping is an effective basement flooding solution. Level ground outside your foundation is not able to direct water away from your home towards the drainage channel. Instead, it leads to water buildup that eventually seeps inside your basement area.
Therefore, to direct water away from the foundation, the ground around your home’s foundation must slope gradually downwards. For effective drainage, maintain a downward slope of ½ inch per foot as you move away from your home’s foundation for the first 10 feet. You can either remove or add soil to maintain the desired slope level and ensure that water quickly flows away from your home.
3. Install Window Well Covers
A well-fitted window well cover is a protective shield made of metal or polycarbonate that diverts rain and snow away from your basement. Transform your home by installing window well covers, and enjoy a safe, bright, and well-ventilated basement with no risks of water accumulation. An airtight window well cover prevents rain or snow melts from seeping into your basement through window frames by redirecting water away to gutters or drainage systems.
4. Seal Cracks and Gaps in Foundation Walls
Your foundation may have a variety of cracks. When left untreated, even a little crack can cause greater damage in the future. Depending on the nature of foundation cracks, you can either choose DIY options or hire professional technicians to seal the gaps. For instance, you can easily seal small hairline or vertical cracks using epoxy or hydraulic cement. However, stair step cracks, uneven cracks, diagonal cracks, and horizontal cracks need professional intervention to prevent serious damage in the future.
Due to hydrostatic pressure, water can seep into your basement through cracks and holes in your foundation walls during heavy rainfall. Once you treat all the wall cracks properly, water will be kept out for a long time.
5. Invest in a Sump Pump
Sump pumps work proactively as a shield against basement flooding. When water accumulates due to heavy rain in your basements, the sump pump removes excess water and prevents damage. However, always ensure that you have a top-quality sump pump that is maintained frequently. Low-quality sump pumps can fail and lead to basement flooding.
Sump pumps work efficiently to collect excess water from your basement in the sump pit and pump it away from the basement area through a drainage pipe. You can also buy a battery backup sump pump to keep the pumps running even during power outages.
6. Install a Backwater Valve
Installing a backwater valve can be an excellent addition to your home basement if you have persistent rainfall and flash floods in your area. A backwater valve prevents water from flowing back into your basement from an overloaded main sewage system after heavy rainfall.
You can install this simple device near your sewer line or sump pump. The backwater valve has an internal flap or a gate that protects your basement by allowing smooth water flow in a single direction that is away from your home. If excess water changes its direction and tries to flow back inside your basement, the flap rises and stops water from penetrating inside.
7. Regularly Maintain Your Plumbing System
A defective plumbing system is one of the major sources of basement leaks during heavy rain. Basements are water-prone areas, so always check for any seepage or leakage in toilets, sump pumps, sinks, or pipes that can leak water into your basement.
Inspect the sewage system for clogs and cracks and schedule routine repair and maintenance work to avoid plumbing emergencies. During the winter, pipes should be insulated to prevent them from freezing and bursting. These proactive maintenance measures will save hundreds of dollars in extensive repairs and help you address smaller issues before they create costly repairs in the future.
Facing Basement Plumbing Issues? Contact American Eagle Now!
Are you frequently observing water issues around your basement? American Eagle Professional Services, Inc. is here to help! We are professionally equipped to provide effective solutions for all your basement water problems. We know exactly how to stop basement flooding and ensure a safe and dry basement.
Schedule a free consultation today by calling us at 1 (410) 263-9682 or visit 605 Main Street, Suite 204, Stevensville, MD 21666.
