Causes of Flooded Basements
In Macomb, Oakland & Wayne County
As Macomb, Oakland & Wayne County’s leader in Flooded Basement Cleanup, we have seen every possible cause of basement flooding!
Tragically, a flooded basement can lead to loss of valuable personal property. It also leads to loss of time and money for the unfortunate homeowner who now has to deal with a flooded basement.
This article discusses the most common causes of a flooded basement.
Click Here for PART 2: preventing a flooded basement.
Causes of Flooded Basements
Flooded Basement: Improper Grade
Unfortunately many homeowners do not realize that their home was originally built on an unsuitable location for proper drainage.
One of the most common causes of a flooded basement is that the house was constructed on a site with an improper “grade”. “Grade” refers to the elevation and slope of the surrounding land. If a home is built on sloped terrain, draining and runoff water will accumulate at low points.
And if your home has been built on the low part of your property, it may flood when it rains and/or when snow melts.
Flooded Basement: Improper Sealing
Another common cause of basement flooding is poor or improper “sealing” of the basement floors and walls. Builders often “cut corners” and fail to properly seal basement walls & flooring during the construction of your house. The result is water seeping in after a heavy rainstorm or after sudden melting of snow.
Flooded Basement: Improper Drainage
A drainage system that has been improperly placed can also lead to a flooded basement. If the downspouts of your house have been placed within 6 feet of your basement walls, they are too close and can lead to basement flooding.
In some cases, it may even be your neighbors’ drainage system that is the problem! They may have downspouts that take the rain water away from their house and direct it to your home!
Flooded Basement: Blocked Eaves troughs
Because eaves troughs are “out of sight and out of mind” they frequently become blocked and cause basement flooding. Wait, you say, the roof causes the basement to flood? That is correct! Eaves troughs and gutters are designed to direct rain water away from the foundation. A blocked gutter will cause rainwater to redirect toward the “path of least resistance” – which can often be directly down to your foundation. And if the water accumulates – flooding can occur.
Flooded Basement: Sump Pump Failure
Many homeowners may go decades without basement flooding. And then suddenly one small storm floods their basement! This can happen when the sump pump fails. Like all mechanical devices, a sump pump does not last forever.
If your sump pump has been working silently in your basement “just doing its job” you probably never think about it. But sooner or later a sump pump – especially one that has been working hard removing water for many years – will need replacing.
If you have experienced a flooded basement in Macomb, Oakland or Wayne County, we are here to help you 24/7. We will rapidly clean up the flood damage – and also identify the cause of the basement flooding so that we can fix it and prevent future flooding!
