Is Storm Water Coming Into Your House Resulting In A Wet Basement?

The vast majority of older homes have problems with a wet basement. The cause can be as simple as a leaking pipe somewhere in the home or as complex as water coming into the basement from outside the home. When a wet basement is the result of an inside-the-house leak, it is typically an easy plumbing fix and the problem is resolved. However, if outside-water is coming in, the problem may be more complicated and ultimately could require the services of a basement waterproofing specialty company coming to the rescue.

The older the house, the more likely it is to have a perimeter foundation drain that runs alongside the exterior wall. Typically, this is found at the same level as the basement floor, is close to the basement footings. From the drain, a pipe is then installed that runs to the street and eventually connects with the nearest storm sewer system.

As the demand on the storm sewer system increases because of further population development, the storm sewer system becomes overloaded and cannot effectively handle the added amount of water. When this happens, homeowners are more likely to have a wet basement because the perimeter foundation drain fills with water and dumps a large amount of water back into the soil along the foundation of the home. The water saturates the soil and when the hydrostatic pressure becomes too great, water seeps into the basement.

This problem can typically be remedied by the installation of an interior perimeter basement drain system that connects to a sump pump. Under normal circumstances, the sump pump can expel the water as quickly as the storm sewer rejects it.

For more information on how to prevent a wet basement in your Northern Virginia home, or to explore the options for basement waterproofing, contact the professionals at Basement Waterproofing Nationwide. Serving both residential and commercial customers in Maryland, Washington DC, South Central Pennsylvania, Delaware and Northern Virginia, the experts at Basement Waterproofing Nationwide can eliminate your wet basement problem.