Water in your basement?

Overflowing gutters, blocked downspouts, missing or blocked downspout drains, inadequate surface grading away from your house, and missing or blocked foundation drains are some of the most common causes of water in your basement. Improper compaction of soil backfill around your foundation can cause soil settlement which results in a low spot surrounding your home that collects runoff water and allows it to seep into your basement.

Inspecting your gutters and downspouts for overflow during heavy, continuous rain is a first step in finding the probable cause of water in your basement. Looking for areas where water collects in puddles next to your home may also be part of your water problems. Looking at the overall surface grade around your home is also important. Is your home located in a hole?

Basement window wells if not graded away from your home commonly cause water to run into your basement around the window frame. Wells not connected to a foundation or footing drain system are also sources of basement water during heavy rains.

Settlement cracking of basement walls and floors allows water even under low pressure to enter your basement. Settlement cracks can commonly be found where heavy, rigid structures such as chimney footings join exterior walls and floors. This type of differential settlement cracking is usually more pronounced in basement walls constructed of concrete blocks. As settlement continues, the joint between the basement floor and wall may open and allow water to enter your basement. Internal chimney footings if they settle, will commonly cause cracking of the basement floor. Diagonal cracks from the corners of the chimney footing are common. If foundation drains are blocked or not below the grade of the bottom of the floor, water will find a way into your basement – even up through the floor.

Rock pockets in poorly consolidated concrete walls and floors are possible sources of water that weeps into basements. A light tap with a hammer at these points usually results in a thud when rock pockets are found even though the surface may be smooth and free of any evidence of the pocket. Your observations of where water goes or doesn't go during a heavy rain will help us find a cost-effective solution to your water problems.