5 Tips About Basement Flooding

​Oh the joys of having a basement in the Poconos!
If you have a leaky basement you have a PROBLEM and you are far from alone.
​Water in a basement usually comes from two places: ground water rising, or surface water absorbing down. 

   Either way there is nothing nice about unconstrained water in a home.
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   If you are in our service area (and even if you are not) we can usually diagnose the issue pretty quickly based on when the home was built. Different decades used different construction standards and we have been waterproofing basements long enough to pinpoint the issue quickly.

1. Take photos for us from the inside and the outside. 
      This helps us to determine where it came from. Puddling along the foundation is different than water coming in low along the basement walls or (God forbid) coming up through the basement floor.

2. Get the water out!
      As fast as possible! Borrow a shop vac if you have to. Then get some fans and a dehumidifier because the next major crisis you will have is going to be copious amounts of mold and that won't be pretty or healthy. Then wipe down everything that got wet. 

3. If it flooded once plan on it flooding again.
      You have to fix basement water problems. It is NEVER a once in a lifetime thing. Also, never ever rely on a sump pump. Firstly, they all burn out eventually and that little tid bit of info will only come to your attention when it does not kick on and the water is coming in through the sump pit. Secondly, you need a power backup for them because any storm that is bad enough to flood your basement is certainly bad enough to cause power outages. Even with an in-line generator for the sump pump.....they still burn out.

4. Keep electrical items up.
      Anything that can cause a current in your flooded basement needs to be up on something. Concrete blocks make great pillars. Just get it above the highest known water level until you can get it waterproofed. If you have low electrical outlets I would have an electrician disable them until the problem is solved and proved to be solved for a couple years. 

5. Gravity is your friend!
      There are a number of ways to approach a leaky basement. The all time best way is to have drains that are gravity fed. No power necessary! Water flows in and water flows out and hopefully this can be done around the perimeter of the home in an effective manner. Bringing water into the basement to sump pump it out is less than ideal. Sometimes you can seal the outside of the basement walls, sometimes you can seal the inside of the basement walls, it depends on where it is coming from. Go back to #1 - take the photos and then email or call us and we can help you! Visit our Basements page for more information.