While we’d like to imagine our property will never need water removal services or sewage backup cleanup, the truth is that there is no guarantee that your home or business will never experience a water damage loss. This is why every homeowner can benefit from taking proactive steps to protect their basement from water damage loss and understand their available options, should flooding occur.
Drainage Failures
Basement flooding has two primary causes. The first is when a drainage failure causes storm water to seep into the home. Drainage failures can have multiple causes; like the slope of the property guiding water towards the foundation; cracks in the foundation, basement walls, or windows; failure of a sump pump; plugged downspouts or eavestroughs; or downspouts not depositing water far enough from the foundation.
Methods to combat drainage failure:
- Seal any cracks in your walls, foundation, or window wells
- Clear the eavestroughs and downspouts of any leaves, dirt, or other debris that might accumulate
- Walk around the property during a rainstorm and take note of where the water is flowing and pooling; this can help you find spots where the downspouts aren’t long enough or where the grade of the property causes water to pool on the foundation
- If you have a sump pump, ensure it is maintained and in working order; a functioning sump pump can perform steady water extraction and removal, preventing minor leaks from becoming full flooding situations
- If you have weeping tile systems, repair or replace any damaged tiles
Sewer Backup
The second cause of basement flooding is a sewer backup. This is when the sewer system is overwhelmed with water and backs up through any connected fixtures like toilets, sinks, laundry machines, or floor drains in the basement. Sewer backups can also occur if the connection between your home and the main sewer becomes blocked.
Methods to combat a sewer backup and avoid needing cleanup:
- Disconnect your downspouts from the sewer system; this may seem counterproductive, but a backup can be limited by restricting the amount of water that flows into the sewers or storm drains (Note that this method may not be feasible for all homes, since you don’t want to negatively impact your neighbours or create pooling areas on the sidewalk/driveway.)
- Clear any debris from roadside grates and storm drains
- If a shallow ditch (called a drainage swale) exists between properties on your street, keep yours maintained and cleared of blockages
After the Flooding
Should the unfortunate happen and you experience a basement flood, contact a professional restoration team immediately. By bringing in a professional quick-response team to perform water extraction or sewer backup cleanup services, you not only get experienced personnel to protect your foundation and property, but you also free yourself from handling insurance matters and other issues that may arise from a flood situation. Better yet, some professional remediation companies can help you file your insurance claim to reduce the time it takes for your claim to be processed.
Flood Services Canada is a leader in flood restoration along with mould remediation, sewage backup cleanup, and fire and smoke damage cleanup. Our rapid response teams can quickly get to work to both prevent and mitigate flood and leak damage and aid in the restoration process. We can also assistant you throughout the entire insurance claims process. More information on our water damage restoration techniques can be found here, or you can find out more by contacting us today.
