Sarah Metlova
What To Do When Basement Floods From Rain – Finding water on the ground is not surprising at all. In addition to being stressful, it can be costly and dangerous, putting your family’s health and safety at risk.
At ServiceMaster of Lake Shore, we provide basement flood cleaning services to clients in Chicago and the surrounding area, so we know a thing or two about basement flooding and how to prevent it.
What To Do When Basement Floods From Rain
The weather in Chicago can be unpredictable, and anyone who lives here knows that severe, unpredictable storms can occur. While it can’t be guaranteed that you won’t be able to get into a Chicago basement due to weather or other events, it does exist.
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The basements of many buildings in Chicago are at risk of flooding. Simple things like a faulty water heater, a full washing machine and a pump failure can cause flooding and water shut-offs.
While it may not seem like the gutters in your Chicago home have much to do with your basement, gutters serve an important purpose in moving rainwater away from your home.
With this in mind, clean the water pipes in your house every spring and lower them so that they do not overflow during the rainy season. If gutters are full of dead leaves, branches and debris, they will not be able to hold water during storms. Instead, they will flood and send water to the foundation and floor of your home.
Check the foundation of the house (interior and exterior) for cracks or gaps. If you see small cracks, use a waterproof bag to seal them. If the cracks are large (which is common in older homes), have a local plumber repair them before the water enters the basement.
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Gradation refers to the slope of the land around the building. If the ground is not level with the house, rainwater can drain near the foundation and cause water damage.
Improper alignment can cause water to seep into the ground over time, causing serious damage and flooding. If your level is not the correct distance from your home, re-enter the location to correct the problem.
Because basements in Chicago are prone to flooding (they are basements, after all), sump pumps are one of the best ways to prevent standing water. A sump pump collects standing water and drains it before it overflows onto the floor.
If you don’t have a sump pump, installing one is a great way to keep your basement dry and clean, especially during rain or heavy rain.
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However, for a water pump to work properly, it must be maintained. Here are some tips:
In addition to living space away from home, you can change your layout to make basements less prone to flooding.
For example, if you use mulch in garden beds around the house, keep a barrier of six inches or more between the landscaping and the exterior walls of the house.
If your gutters end above the ground around your house, increase the length of the gutters so that the water goes away from your house.
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Be sure to point the pipe that leads from the house to the raised lawn. During heavy rains, this prevents the soil from compacting and retaining the rain.
Sometimes flooding happens despite your best efforts. If you are facing this problem, our team is here to help you.
We provide flood relief for Chicago residents and can help you get your property back on track and get back to normal.
Our office is located in Chicago, IL on the west side of Millennium Park, near Willis Tower and the Magnificent Mile. We provide 24/7 fire and water service in Chicago, including Lincoln Park, Logan Square, Gold Coast, Lake View, Magnificent Mile, and Little Village. We also offer a number of specialized cleaning services. Not only is your basement damp and smelly, but it also poses a serious threat to the value of your home. Left unchecked, underground moisture can damage floors and walls, encourage mold growth and damage your roof.
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A wet basement can be easily cleaned by cleaning gutters and draining drainage from the foundation. But if the problem is from other sources – water that seeps into your home, pours onto the floor, or backs up through city sewers – you need to take action.
If your downspouts are less than five feet from your home, you can divert the water by adding plastic or metal pipes.
But attachments aren’t the best or most efficient option in the long run, especially if you like to skip them or run your lawnmower. Permanent underground drains are invisible and can drain excess water from drains far away from your home.
If you notice water entering your basement through cracks or crevices around the pipes, you can seal the holes with cement or polyurethane for about $10.
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Plugs work when the problem is a hole that lets in water, either from the surface or wet soil. But if the water goes down to the ground or where the floor meets the wall, the problem is the groundwater and the bark will not fit.
If the drains are working and the hole is blocked, but water is still seeping into the basement or through the basement walls, then surface water is not leaving the house as it should.
Your home should be on a “crown” of soil with slopes of at least six inches above the first 10 feet on all sides.
Over time, the ground around the foundation settled. You can rebuild with a shovel and dirt. A slab of clay from a local warehouse costs about $30 (plus shipping) and is enough for a 2-foot wide by 3-inch deep layer on a 57-foot foundation.
What To Do If Your Basement Floods
Because all parts of your house overlap slightly, crown molding can keep dirt — and rot and insects — too close for comfort: six inches is a safe distance. For this reason, create a fence (a mound of earth) or a pond (a large, shallow hole), a landscape that changes the water path and long before you get to the house.
In small areas, the pillars are simple; a landscaper can build one for a few hundred dollars. In large projects, columns are not very clear, because you will have to bring in a lot of soil. In this case, digging a swamp ($450 to $2,000). As the landscape matures, hedges and lawns can become the focal point of your yard.
If water enters the basement under the wall or in the lines where the wall meets the floor, the problem is hydrostatic pressure that pushes the water up from the floor.
First, check if you have drains, underground pipes that were installed during construction to drain water from the foundation. (Look for holes or drains in the basement or for clean water pipes that are several inches above.)
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If the drain is clogged, open the drain and flush it out with a garden hose. If that doesn’t work, a plumber can do the job for about $600.
If you don’t have a drain, install a screen to control the water that runs underground in your home.
A type of French drain, the gutter is a shallow channel — two feet deep and 1.5 feet wide — filled with stones and gutters that block water from entering the slopes of your home and carry it a safe distance down.
If the drain goes through an area with trees or shrubs, consider installing a solid pipe to reduce the risk of root growth and blockage. Cost: $10 to $16 per foot.
Protect Your Home From Basement Flooding
To create an internal drain, cut a channel around the floor, pour concrete and insert a perforated pipe into the hole. The water runs into a storage tank in the basement, where a pump removes it from the house.
Costing about $5,500, an interior system is the best and least disruptive option for a simple unfinished basement. It’s also a good idea to decide if your yard has plants that can be damaged by outdoor drainage.
Installing internal drainage allows the water to run off the wall. For this reason, an external system is needed: a French channel to reduce the hydrostatic pressure and to seal the water outside to protect the foundation.
It’s a big job that involves digging holes around the house, but it can be a great solution if you have a foundation with lots of holes. It also keeps mud and water out, which is probably the best option if you don’t want to ruin your basement.
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The disadvantage, in addition to the price tag, which can reach $ 18,000, is that it takes time around your yard and you may need to cover the ground or the road. We check everything we recommend. When you make a purchase through our links, we may receive a commission. Find out more >
We added a new water leak sensor, the D-Link DCH-S1621KT Whole Home Smart Wi-Fi Water Leak Sensor.
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