Wet Basements

Wet Basements

 

If you have a soggy basement, you're not alone. The American Society of Home Inspectors, estimates 60 percent of U.S. homes have wet basements, and 38 percent run the risk of basement mold.

The water most often comes from rainfall and melting snow. A typical 2000 square foot roof can produce almost 1250 gallons of water during just 1 inch of rainfall.

Some possible causes of a wet basement

A) Roof run off

            1) No gutters present

            2) If gutters are present maybe they are clogged

            3) Not having the proper length of downspout to take the   water    

            away from the house

            4) Not having the proper landscaping around the foundation

 

Things to take a look at to make sure you do not run into this issue make sure you have gutters on your house. If you have gutters on your house check them every spring to make sure that they are not clogged.  Also check to make sure downspouts is taking the water far enough away from the foundation.  The last thing to look at is to make sure landscaping has the proper slope to take water away  from the foundation.  

B)  Rising water table/runoff

1) If house is built on a down slope foundation may act like a dam this increasing the likelihood of water seeping in to the basement. 

2) Water table or ground water rises this may cause water to seep in through the cracks of the foundation and or the basement floor. 

3) House is close to river or creek that may flood.

           

First if your house is built on a down slope you may need to call a  professional landscaper to figure out what you can do to reroute the water away from the foundation.  If the ground water is the issue you may need to look into sealing the cracks in the foundation and basement floor to try and prevent seepage.  If your property is close to a river or creek and you notice that the water level is rising one  should take that appropriate steps to protect your property from getting flooded. 

C) Sump pumps or drain tile failure

            1)  Sump pump can not keep up with the amount of water that is 

            coming into the pit.

            2) Sump pump not working properly or at all.

            3) Drain tile is clogged causing a build up of water around the

             foundation. 

If you notice your sump pump is running properly but is not keeping up with the amount of water that is coming in the pit you may want to look at getting a bigger sump pump. If the sump pump is not working at all replace it immediately to resolve the issue.  If you suspect it is the drain tile that’s the problem, you will have to call a professional to take a look at the issue and how it maybe resolved.      

        

Signs that you may have a wet basement are wet walls and or carpet.  If you do find that you have had water intrusion in your basement you will want to notify a professional right away.   The importance of calling a professional right away is to prevent mold growth which can start in as little as 48 to 72 hours. 

                                          These tips provided by:

SERVPRO of Lincoln

Phone: 402/466-4004

Like It Never Even Happened

www.ServproOfLincoln.com


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