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April Showers Bring Wet Basements
May is the time of year when you hear the sounds of Spring—singing birds, busy lawnmowers, and sump pumps. In other words, flooded basements are a rite of Spring. With a little planning, however, you can minimize the likelihood that your Spring will be interrupted by the drudgery of hauling soggy carpet out to dry.
The causes of water in basements and crawlspaces are myriad, and beyond the scope of this article, but there are some common themes we can look at, and some steps you can take to prepare yourself. Remember the ounce of prevention theory?
Most flooded basements are caused by surface water ponding near the foundation, soaking into the loosely-compacted fill dirt, and then leaking in through the joint between the floor slab and the foundation wall. The backfill was probably graded properly when the house was built, but settled over time to trap water near the house. Window wells are another common problem, filling up with rain and leaking in around the window—or soaking into the ground and seeping in at floor level.
If surface water is your source, the solution is to keep it well away from your foundation through proper grading around the house. Not only can saturated backfill flood your basement, but if you have expansive soil, as many homes in Boulder do, the moisture can cause it to swell, possibly causing serious damage to foundations, floors, and interior finishes.
The ground near foundations should slope away from the house at least six inches in the first ten feet. You must also have a minimum of six inches between the top of the foundation and the ground. In too many cases, the houses were originally built too low to the ground to allow for proper drainage. In such cases, it may be very difficult and expensive to correct the problem. If your lot doesn’t allow for proper drainage, try to get the water to pond as far from the house as possible. Do not grade your yard to drain into your neighbor’s basement!
Most houses should also have (but don’t) a perimeter drain system installed to catch water below the elevation of the slab, and drain it safely to a sump pit with a pump, or it drains by gravity to a low discharge point away from the house, if there is enough fall away from the house. Some houses have perimeter drains, and sump pits, but no pump (or a malfunctioning pump). It is a good idea to install redundant pumps, one set a few inches higher than the other. The extra pump can serve as a backup in case of failure, or can double the pumping capacity in case of severe flooding. Most plumbers would be happy to install a sump pump for you.
This is a good time of year to verify the operational condition of your sump pump so you will be prepared in advance. The best test is to pour water in the pit, and verify the pump functions and discharges to the outside, well away from the house. It is illegal to discharge ground water into the sanitary sewer system. Remember—if you wait until your basement is flooding to look for a pump, it is too late. Hundreds of other people will have already bought, rented, and borrowed every pump in the county!
It is also important that your landscaping near the foundation not require irrigation. Irrigation will saturate the soils, preventing them from being able to absorb excess water in case of prolonged rains. Foundation perimeters are a good place for xeriscape. Also verify that your turf , sidewalks, or edging don’t dam-up surface water near the foundation.
This is a good time of year to clean your gutters. If leaves and debris clog the downspouts, the gutters can overflow, dumping all the water from the roof against the foundation. Downspouts should discharge well away from the foundation, and may require extensions or underground drainage pipes to carry the water away properly.
Another idea is to buy one (or several) of the inexpensive devices that sound an alarm when they get wet. They are similar to smoke detectors—battery operated, with a warning chirp when the batteries are getting low. Place them on the floor in areas prone to flooding. The early warning of water can save you a great deal of trouble. If you’re going to be out of town during the "rainy season", arrange to have a neighbor check on your basement in case of rain. Early detection can be critical.
If your best efforts fail, and your basement gets wet, there are a few things you can do to minimize the damage. Putting furniture legs up on blocks, or setting them on aluminum foil or plastic patches will prevent them from soaking up water (or rusting) and damaging the legs or staining carpets and rugs.
It is also helpful to either remove wet carpet as soon as possible or rent special fans designed to blow air under carpet that has been loosened around the edges. When the weather permits, open windows and doors, and use fans to get air moving to dry things out as quickly as possible. In some cases, it is helpful to rent dehumidifiers to dry things out quickly. Water vacuums are also helpful for removing water from floors and carpets.
Many people whose basements flood are surprised to find that their homeowner’s insurance does not cover flooding. If a hailstone breaks your window, allowing the water into your house, you’re probably covered. If you forgot to clean your gutters, and water seeps in around your basement window, you’re not. Flood insurance is available from all insurance agencies to cover flooding from surface water.
I hope this article didn’t dampen your spirits. Here’s wishing you a wonderful (and dry) Spring.
