3 Reasons Your Basement is Flooding
How to Stop the Floods and Dry Your Basement
Ever year, thousands of home owners in the U.S. experience flooding, dampness, leaks and mold growth in their basements or crawl spaces. This typically happens after a rain or snow storm, but, the problem can happen for a number of reasons and at any time of year.
The problem is that not only are they dealing with the water that gets inside of the basement, they will soon be dealing with big time foundation problems like cracks, bowed walls and even collapsed foundation walls.
Luckily, there are ways to prevent and stop these problems. Here are the three reasons that your basement is flooding and what to do about them:
1. Your Yard is Flooding This is one of the most common reasons for flooding in your basement. In many areas, homes are built on heavy, clay and gravel soils. These soil types have really poor drainage.
After a rain storm, or a heavy snow fall (once it melts), or even if you just over water your lawn, the water tries to drain into the ground but the soil is heavy and keeps it from seeping lower into the Earth. It holds the water. Then, when the temperature changes, from hot to cold or cold to hot, the ground around your home will expand, putting pressure on the foundation walls and causing small cracks.
Water pushes its way into the cracks, settles at the bottom of the wall then eats away at the stone, concrete, brick, etc. before leaking on the inside.
2. Your Foundation is Cracked Related to number 1, when your foundation stats to crack (on the outside of the walls) water can easily get into your basement or crawl space.
The biggest issue is that the cracks first start to develop underground, where you won't see them. By the time you see cracks above ground, you have a big problem.
Pressure from soil expansion needs to be relieved.
3. You Have Spaces Around Your Basement Windows or Doors Even a small space around the windows or doors can allow water to pour in, causing flooding.
In all three cases your basement needs to be waterproofed. This does not mean just putting up "waterproofing paint," because that will only make the problem worse if it isn't combined with a way to relieve the pressure on your foundation.
A good waterproofing system will help with drainage in your yard, relieve pressure on the walls - usually by digging the area around your foundation, installing drains then putting the dirt back, tamping it ever few feet to keep air pockets from forming, and waterproofing the inside of your basement or crawl space. Windows and doors need to be sealed to prevent leaks.
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