Water in your basement ☎️ (859)302-2702
Reduce sewer or drain losses in your basement by checking drainage, reducing backflow and installing a sump pump.
No one wants to experience sewer backups in the home.
Like many questions around home maintenance, when it comes to sewer problems, prevention is the best solution. Considering how much damage can be caused by water in your basement, it makes sense to spend a little time testing out your drainage system and addressing any problems before a catastrophe occurs.
Here are a few easy ways to keep your basement clean and dry.
Make sure your drainage system works
Often, water in your home comes down to preventable drainage problems. A few hours of work could keep the water out. Review this checklist to help:
- Your home's gutter downspouts should extend at least 10 feet away from the foundation of the house so water is carried away from basement walls.
- Clear your gutters at least twice a year to prevent them from overflowing. Leaves and debris will clog gutters and can send water back toward your roof, walls or foundation.
- Gutters and downspouts should not be connected to municipal sewage lines.
- Your yard should be graded to slope away from the house so surface water is drained away.
- If your gutters connect to storm sewers, keep drain lines clear.
Prevent backflow
Backflow is the reversal of water in any plumbing system. It can lead to undesirable leaking and flooding.
Some homes are equipped with check valve devices that allow water and sewage to flow away from the drain, preventing water and sewage from backing up into the drain. Gate-valve devices operate like a gate, closing and shutting off the flow of water and sewage.
Drain plugs and standpipes can also be used to prevent backflow. Both are relatively inexpensive solutions, but also come with their own risks. Drain plugs seal off the flow of water but can cause an overflow to occur at the next opening in the system. Standpipes, or vertical pipes connected and sealed to a drain, can contain minor overflows and act as safety valves, but can only contain backflow up to their height, usually just three feet.
If you think you're having problems with backflow, contact a plumber or contractor immediately.
Sump pumps
Sump pumps are pumps that remove water from a reservoir in your home.
There are several types of sump pumps, including single sump pumps and dual-level systems, which employ a backup pump. Usually, batteries or a generator can be used to power the pump in case of a power failure.
If you'd like to get a sump pump for your home, check with your local plumbing contractor or building code official for additional requirements.
When all else fails
Sometimes water still gets in even when you take precautions. If it does, here are a few things you can do to minimize damage:
- Keep items stored in basement areas shelved or off the floor. Consider replacing cardboard boxes with sturdy containers for storage.
- Place furniture on casters or shims and arranged away from floor drains.
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What to consider when choosing a fire and damage restoration company
Certified experts
It is imperative to make certain that the company in question has all the required state and local certifications to complete the restoration job. These certifications should also be up-to-date.
• Certification: Look for credentials from the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification, also known as the IICRC, for well-trained fire and water damage experts.
• Sub-certifications: The IICRC has additional specializations such as mold remediation or structural and commercial Drying. Ask the company for details about their sub-certifications.
• Restoration vs. reconstruction: Note that the IICRC refers to restoration, not reconstruction. If the damage is to severe that contractors are required to partially or completely rebuild/reconstruct properties, make sure that they have all the proper local licenses and certifications necessary.
Experience
Every disaster is unique and requires the utmost care. If a company begins operating from the wrong starting assumptions, it can prolong or completely derail the restoration project unnecessarily.
• Relevant experience: Make sure that the company providing restoration has dealt with many previous situations that are similar to the current task at hand. For example, standing water from a flood could become contaminated with chemicals or substances that make it a biohazard. Make sure the company knows what they are dealing with before they come out to avoid added confusion that slows down the job.
• Comprehensive evaluations: Don't hold back any information. Even details that don't seem to be significant initially can greatly impact the company's professional evaluation of the restoration requirements or the extent of structural damage.
Asset protection
Different kinds of materials - such as furniture, computers, floors, etc. - require different treatments under very specific timetables.
• High-priority assets: Decide which assets have the highest priority and then look for the company that specializes in that particular area.
• Practicality: Replacing property or recreating data may be less expensive than restoration. Don't compromise your practicality.
• Pre-inspection reports: Some types of leases require a pre-inspection report by qualified restoration personnel to establish insurability levels.
Time to recovery
Hours, and sometimes minutes, can make all the difference in what is recoverable. Make sure the company will be ready the moment disaster strikes.
• Rapid response: The first few hours after a disaster can make all the difference in terms of what is recoverable. Look for rapid response times. Also critical, is advice on what to do immediately and what needs attention within the first 24 hours.
• Schedules: Look for a company that can give a full, detailed schedule of steps that they will need to perform before an estimated completion date.
• Variable costs: Be prepared for costs to vary greatly based on factors that aren't obvious at first, such as structural damage and the extent of smoke damage.
Storage facilities
Some restoration companies offer storage facilities. Find out how much space the company has to house your undamaged assets and what their storage rates are.
• Storage conditions: Make sure that storage facilities are nearby and adequate in terms of factors like temperature control and security.
• Packing services: Ask if they provide packing services, which means that they can thoroughly clean property before packing it up and putting it into the company's storage facility.
• Record keeping: Make sure to take photographic records of the condition of your property before it goes into storage.
Referrals
Ask for names of commercial or governmental agencies that the company has worked for and look for referrals.
• Referral limitations: Don't discount a company just because its referrals aren't perfect. Some items simply aren't restorable, and that fact creates disappointment.