Protect Your Basement from Flooding

Most North Shore homes can expect to experience some water in the basement at some point, especially during spring rains. Here are some simple solutions to help waterproof your basement, so you can avoid the headaches of frequent flooding.

Causes of Basement Flooding

Unwanted water can infiltrate your basement in a number of ways. Some common access points are through cracks in your foundation wall, cracks in your floor, over the top of your foundation, through window wells and from floor drains. Prolonged heavy rains can cause water to build up on the outside and under your house and the pressure this creates can force water into your dry space.

Solutions to Keep Your Basement Dry

1. Have you looked at your gutters lately? Clean gutters are essential
Exterior drainage plays a big role in basement flooding. Make sure rain water is diverted away from the foundation. Keep gutters and downspouts free of debris that can cause clogs. Make sure all downspouts extend at least 4 feet away from your home, and keep the first 3 feet of soil next to your foundation sloped away from the house.

2. Water on your basement floor? A sump pump could be the solution!
One of the most cost effective methods to waterproof a basement is to install a sump pit and pump to collect and remove water. The pit should be located in the most vulnerable area of the basement so it can capture water before it becomes a problem. Once in the pit, water can be easily pumped outside.

Sump pump installation process:
• A small area of the concrete floor is cut and excavated down 40”.

• At the base of the pit 10” of gravel is laid, allowing for water infiltration. Next, an 18” x 30” basin is installed, the area around the pit is filled in with gravel and the surface is patched with concrete to match the existing floor.

• Once in place, the sump pump and drain lines are installed from the pit up to an area above the foundation and out through the wall away from the house. To prevent water from backing up into the house, a check valve is installed in the drain lines.

3. Chronic flooding? Drain tiles and a sump pump to the rescue
For homes that are experiencing chronic flooding problems, our experienced team can provide a more involved solution by installing drain tiles with the sump pump system. While almost all new homes are built with drain tile and sump pumps, many of the older homes that populate the Chicago North Shore were built long before these systems were introduced. Drain tile is a perforated piping system that collects water as it tries to enter the home and then funnels the water to the sump pump - where it is safely discharged away from the home. The drain tile is installed in a trench excavated around the interior perimeter of the basement.

4. Water creeping through your floor drain? Time for a Flood Control System
Water coming up through the floor drain is often caused when the city’s main sewer system is being over-taxed. In certain areas, particularly heavy rains can back-up into your system all the way up through your floor drain.

Ways to protect from sewer water back-up:
- Install an Overhead Sewer System
This system makes the height of your sewer line higher than the city main. Your existing waste stack, which exits through the basement floor, is cut into and relocated to exit the through the basement wall. A trench is dug outside the home to tie the new overhead sewer line into the existing one, and the old sewer line is capped. An ejector basin is then installed (similar to the sump basin), that takes any basement plumbing waste and ejects it to the new overhead system.

- Install a Yard Flood Control System
A pre-cast manhole basin that houses a heavy duty ejector pump and a by-pass check valve is installed in your yard. It is along the existing waste line and stops water back-ups and forces it back into the city systems - before it reaches your home. All installation can be done outside of the home.

Accurate Diagnosis. Successful Solutions

Give us a call to determine which solution is best for your home at 847-864-5225. The Cahill team will do an on-site evaluation, present our assessment and provide a free estimate of the work that needs to be done to keep your basement clean and dry.

Welcome to the John J. Cahill, Inc. eNews-blog

Since 1890, we have been providing Chicago’s North Shore families with equipment, services and sound advice to keep their homes comfortable and running smoothly.

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