Causes of a basement flooding in your Cortez Home

12/10/2021 (Permalink)

flooded basement

If you have a frequently flooding basement, it's not just water damage you need to worry about—basement flooding can cause mold, mildew, and other health hazards. Identifying the causes of flooding can help you prevent water damage, save your property, eliminate the risk, and keep your basement dry.

Sump Pump Failure

A sump pump is installed in a basement or crawlspace in a sump pit to keep the area dry and prevent floods under the building. 

A torrential downpour or a power outage can lead to a sump pump failure and cause groundwater to flood the basement through the sump pit. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure your sump pump maintenance regularly.

Another explanation is tree roots breaking into your mainline (sewer line) and causing a backup. In this case, you might need to have your sewer line jetted. This highly effective method thoroughly cleans your sewer line and keeps roots growing back for up to 7 years. Here's everything you need to know about hydro jetting.

Location of Your Home

If your yard or the land around your home does not slope away from your home, you may be more likely to have a flooded basement. Your home benefits from being in an area where no excess water from storms, melting snow, or other natural weather patterns will cause water damage. If you notice any depressions around your property where water may pool, fill them in with clay-type soil. To level the lower areas around your home and may help direct water away from your home.

Poor Weatherproofing

During a home's construction, walls, floors, and foundations must be waterproofed with a sealant to avoid water leakage and flooding. But over time, sealants deteriorate, and leaks can sneak through the cracks. If your basement floods during most rainstorms, this might be a good time for a waterproofing upgrade.

Water Pooling

Water pooling around the foundation can cause significant damage. Gravity will pull water down, and it will find a way into your basement. A lack of adequate grading, or clogged gutters and downspouts, can lead to water running down the walls of your home and property to gather at your foundation.

Improper Drainage System

The drain tile is a draining pipe used for underground water collection. It's built under the basement floor level around the building to ensure water moves away and doesn't seep into your home.

If weeping tile fails or degrades over time, the basement may experience flooding, especially without proper waterproofing.

When your basement floods or you need help with any water damage emergency, SERVPRO of Durango has a team of restoration technicians on call 24/7. Call us today at 970-259-6184. We'll make it look "Like it never even happened."