What Causes Basement Water Problems

There are a number of potential reasons for water in a basement. You may have a crack in the walls or floor, which causes water to leak in from the outside. You might have a leak in your plumbing system. If you have a drainage system already in place, that system may have a clog.

In a well-built, well-maintained basement floor, water should not come up for no reason. However, there are many reasons water may come up through a basement floor. The best way to deal with this is to schedule an inspection so you can understand your current basement waterproofing problems and uncover a solution.

The potential reasons for water in your basement are varied: it could be as small as a misplaced sump pump switch or as extreme as an impending foundation collapse. That’s why it’s so important to contact a professional as soon as you notice that there’s water collecting in your basement, especially if it’s sudden or unexpected.

Because the reasons for water in your basement are so varied, it’s extremely important to contact a professional before you start in on any potential fix for water in your basement. A JES waterproofing expert can perform an inspection, then give you more information about your basement waterproofing options.

You could have water in your basement for many different reasons. Settling soil around your basement could increase hydrostatic pressure, causing concrete cracks and other water leaking issues. Hurricanes and flooding can also cause more water than usual around your home, and backed up footing drains can even contribute to the problem.

If your home encounters sufficient hydrostatic pressure, it’s not impossible for your concrete floor to develop cracks, even minuscule and barely-visible cracks. These cracks can allow water to come up through the floor. If it’s hard to see the cracks, this can make it seem like water is “appearing” in your basement for seemingly no reason.

It’s almost impossible to avoid heavy rains. After a long week of thunderstorms or even after a single bad day of rain, you might expect to see signs of damage all throughout your yard. Of course, some of that excess rainwater might also seep into your basement—but is that really a big deal? 

In short, yes. You should never see rainwater in your basement, even after a heavy day or week of rain. If rainwater makes its way into your home, then it is entirely possible that you may have a leak on your hands. Leaks are more than temporary inconveniences. If you leave a leak unattended, it can grow to the point where it compromises the structural integrity of your entire home. 

Moisture’s Impact on Your Home 

Consider this: Moisture, as it makes its way into your home, can cause the materials making up your basement and foundation to rapidly expand and contract. In doing so, that moisture can generate a significant amount of stress within your home. In an attempt to endure that stress, the structural supports making up your basement can split. In doing so, they can allow even more moisture into your home, amplifying the initial problem and leading to further problems elsewhere in your home. 

Some of the most common problems related to leaks in your basement include: 

• Mold growth 
• Unpleasant and persistent smells 
• Split floor joists 
• Sagging floors 
• Bowing walls 
• Fogged windows 
• Warped door frames and windowsills  

That little bit of water you see after a storm shouldn’t be ignored. Instead, if you notice signs of a leak in your basement, you can reach out to the professional contractors working in your area. Together, you can inspect your home and determine whether or not you have any substantial damage on your hands. If you do, you can request a free quote citing the cost of potential repairs and better determine what you want your repair budget to look like.

Although there are many purported DIY fixes for water in your basement, many of these so-called “fixes” are just bandages that won’t actually fix the underlying problem. The only way you can make sure you know what the problem is and how to fix it is to schedule an inspection from a JES basement waterproofing expert.

It all depends on exactly how the drain in your basement works. Many basement floor drains simply dump water into your home’s sewer system, the same way as any other drain in your home. Some locales require that the basement floor drain goes through a sump pump system to dump it outside the home.

There is an array of reasons why a drain in the basement could be backing up. The drain could be of poor quality, the handyman could have installed the drain improperly, there could be an issue with the drainage system, or there could be a blockage. Your best bet is to schedule an inspection to get more information.

There are a few reasons you might need to plug a basement floor drain. Some rural locations may need to plug basement floor drains to avoid overflow during a storm. However, many modern basement floor drains include one-way stops to avoid these problems.

If you’re having clogging problems with a basement drain, especially if this is a recurring problem, chances are there’s a deeper issue than just a clog. Instead of trying to run a snake down in the drain, you may want to schedule an inspection from a JES basement waterproofing expert, who can assess and help you fix the situation.