Wet Basements Part Three

So, the basements wet, what to do?   There are several "fixes" to this problem.  As noted in he earlier blogs, repairs can be largely dependent on the type of construction used for your home.  For simplicity, we'll explore a typical, 1950's ranch type home.  These fixes apply to some degree to many older homes as well.

Step one is examining exactly what is causing the wet basement.  This past summer in NE Ohio, we had record rainfall in just a few hours.  Lots of storm sewers filled up to capacity, and they backed up into basements.  This problem is out under the street and there's not too much that the individual can do, as it's related to the sizing of the city storm sewers.

If you've got the more typical seepage from walls etc, start with a walk around the house.  Are all the gutters clean?  Are the downspouts connected, clear, and draining into crocks leading to storm sewers or extending to a lower area on your property?  In the city, most homes will have the downspouts tied in to the storm sewers.  Sometimes, as these clog, people opt for surface drainage, adding a splash block, or directing the water a few feet from the foundation.  If your yard is flat, this isn't helping your damp basement.  The roof is collecting large amounts of water and depositing it right where you don't want it- along the basement walls.



Above is a classic example.  The downspout line might have become clogged, so a flex line was installed to divert the water away.  This became disconnected, and now the water just spills against the foundation.

If you do have abandoned underground drains, as indicated by clay or PVC "crocks" with no downspout running into them, your first option is to have these lines cleaned.  This is done by jetting water into them.  I recommend companies that have camera snakes.  They will determine with certainty the condition of these lines.  You can then make an educated decision on how to proceed

I'll continue this discussion in the next blog.