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Wet Basements Where Is The Water Coming From Nothing is more frustrating than dealing with
a wet basement. But knowing the causes of wet basements and how to prevent water damage
can help avoid this frustration. In this three-part video series on wet basement problems, we
will first look at the various causes of water intrusion into the basement.
When you experience a wet basement for the first time, it's important to determine if
this is a one-time event, or likely to happen again. Essential to that, is figuring out
where the water came from. Let's begin with one of the most common sources of wet basement
problems-- surface water. Surface water problems occur when water collects
around the foundation walls of the home. When this happens, you may notice water running
down the foundation walls, seeping in at the base of the wall and the floor, or migrating
through cracks in the wall. The next time you notice water in your basement, go outside,
and check around the perimeter of your home for standing surface water.
If you find pooling or puddling next to the home, it could be the source of the problem.
Surface water is caused by a variety of reasons. Take a look at the land around your home.
Is water flowing away or toward your home's foundation? If toward your home, the slope
of the yard or the slope of the ground adjacent to the house may be the problem. Don't forget
to look at the hard surfaces that are next to the foundation wall, such as driveways
and patios. Does the water flow towards the foundation? Window wells, stairwells, and
driveways that extend down below finished grade to the basement are also potential areas
for surface water entry. When it rains, do you notice water spilling
over the gutters? If so, the gutters or downspouts may be clogged with leaves and twigs, or sized
too small to handle the volume of the rainwater. If this happens, the overflowing water from
the gutters may cause soil erosion and could result in an accumulation of water next to
the foundation wall. Next, look at the downspouts around your home.
Are the downspouts present, connected, and do they discharge water away and at a distance
from your home as they should. If not, rainwater runoff could be collecting around the foundation.
What about the water that you can't see? Groundwater in water saturated soils could be trying to
float your home as it what a boat. But because the house is held in place by the foundation
and its own weight, the water pressure increases, and pushes its way through existing hairline
cracks in the basement walls and floors. Or even creates new cracks. As subsurface water
rises above your basement floor, the greater the pressure becomes at the base of the wall.
This often reveals itself as water seepage in multiple locations along the base of the
wall. One common way to address subsurface water
is to install a sump pump in the basement. The sump pump acts as an outlet for the subsurface
water that exists around your house. But sump pumps can fail due to malfunction, loss of
power, and improper installation. And in some cases, the sump pump may not have the capacity
to keep up with the volume of water. Water can occasionally back up into your home
though the storm sewer or sanitary sewer system. Storm sewer water from the municipal storm
sewer system can occasionally back up into your home's existing perimeter foundation
drain and seep into the basement. This only occurs if the perimeter foundation drain system
is connected to the municipal sewer system. Sanitary sewer water from a combined municipal
storm and sanitary sewer system can back up into your home sanitary drain system, causing
sewer water to come up through plumbing fixtures, and floor drains on lower levels. No matter
how water enters your home, the damage can be devastating and preventing it is imperative.
Now that we've identified the more common sources and cause of water intrusion, we can
effectively address each one.