How Storms Affect Your Basement

Storms impact us in many ways, and can have devastating effects on our homes. For some of us, it’s wind and lightning that have the most damaging effects. For most of us, however, its the prolonged, torrential downpours that tend to have a lasting impact on our homes.

Foundation cracks, water seepage, and mold can become indefinite problems if not addressed, and generally tend to become worse, and more difficult and costly to fix over time.
Basement Waterproofing and Heavy Rain

Two things happen when it rains heavily for extended periods of time. Surface pooling, and total soil saturation. The pooling on the surface can immediately find its way into your basement through windows, the sill plate, and unsealed cracks in your foundation walls.

After an extended period of time, the soil around your home may become saturated, creating a large amount of water pressure pressing against your foundation. With enough pressure, water can actually begin to make its way up through the concrete joints where the walls and the floor meet, as well as through floor and hairline cracks.

The best way to avoid bigger problems in the future is to have it looked at as soon as you notice an issue; whether it be sudden mold growth, hairline cracks, peeling paint, or excessive rust on appliances. These sorts of early warning indicators can save you loads of time and trouble in the long run.

Storms impact us in many ways, and can have devastating effects on our homes. For some of us, it’s wind and lightning that have the most damaging effects. For most of us, however, its the prolonged, torrential downpours that tend to have a lasting impact on our homes.
Foundation cracks, water seepage, and mold can become indefinite problems if not addressed, and generally tend to become worse, and more difficult and costly to fix over time.

Basement Waterproofing and Heavy Rain

Two things happen when it rains heavily for extended periods of time. Surface pooling, and total soil saturation. The pooling on the surface can immediately find its way into your basement through windows, the sill plate, and unsealed cracks in your foundation walls.
After an extended period of time, the soil around your home may become saturated, creating a large amount of water pressure pressing against your foundation. With enough pressure, water can actually begin to make its way up through the concrete joints where the walls and the floor meet, as well as through floor and hairline cracks.
The best way to avoid bigger problems in the future is to have it looked at as soon as you notice an issue; whether it be sudden mold growth, hairline cracks, peeling paint, or excessive rust on appliances. These sorts of early warning indicators can save you loads of time and trouble in the long run.
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Sump Pump Discharge Lines

Example of a discharge line tied into main sewer line.

Many homeowners underestimate the importance of the configuration of the discharge line. The discharge line is what leads the water from the sump basin out of the home, and can have a direct effect on the pumping efficiency of your home's waterproofing system. Here are some things you want to be aware of:

1. Long distances. The farther the water has to travel through a discharge line, the harder your pump has to work in order to get it out of your home. This can allow water to build up in your perimeter drain tile, and may cause premature pump failure.
2. Too many fittings. If your path out of the home isn't the simplest one, and your discharge line is curved and routed every which way, you may be adding unneeded stress to your pump. Reduce the amount of turns in your discharge line, and make its route outside as short and simple as possible.
3. Beware tying into sewer lines. In some areas, this is completely disallowed. In others, you must have a secondary overflow valve and line exiting the home onto your yard to prevent catastrophic failure in the event of a storm backup. Always abide by city code.
4. Prevent winter freezing. In these cold, bitter Detroit winters, it's important to make sure the discharge line isn't freezing outside and block up your waterproofing system. We recommend adding a rubber coupling a few feet out from the home so the line can be shortened during the freezing winter months.

Learn more at http://www.everdrymichigan.com.