Water Leaking Into Basement Who To Call

Have you recently discovered water down in your basement? Are you unsure where it might have come from? Worse still, are you not sure who you should wind up calling for help? Do you call a plumber? Or do you call in a foundation repair expert? This is a mystery, but it is one that you can solve. The answer to these questions likes in the clues provided by asking a few more simple questions.

Where Exactly Is This Water Locate?

Some of the time, this is going to be a very easy diagnosis. For instance, if the water is right in the middle of the floor and you have a broken pipe overhead, then you call in a plumber. Alternatively, if you have a puddle close to the edge of your floor, like where it meets a wall, and there aren’t any obvious drains, pipes, water heaters, sump pumps, washing machines, or other appliances nearby, then you more than likely have a foundation issue.

There are going to be times that discerning the origin of any water gets a little more complicated. Still, just a few more questions and their answers can bring you closer to discovering the truth.

Just How Much Water Is There? How Long Did Things Take To Actually Get There?

If you see a lot of water and it happened overnight or even in just a few hours, then more than likely you have a plumbing issue. There is one exception you should note, which is when a small leak, often at a joint, travels down the exterior of a pipe, which can leave a puddle nearly anyplace. Always look up over you to see if you have water pipes up above the puddles. If you see one or more, and they’re moist, then your mystery is solved. Read more if basement leaks in heavy rain.

Water from foundation leaks typically seeps in at points along the flooring edges. It might even seep in through any cracks in the walls or floor itself. However, the crucial word here is that of ‘seep’, as in a little bit of water coming in over longer stretches of time, such as days or even weeks.

What Is The Water Quality?

In regards to this, it’s not about drinking quality, but more like what does it look like or smell like? It is odorless and clear in color? Or is it smelly and murky? Water which comes into a basement because of a foundation leak will almost always be clean and clean given how it is groundwater that got filtered through the soil before it started seeping into the basement. Do note that water which stems from a plumbing issue might also be clean, like when it comes from a leaking joint or broken interior pipe. However, if that water is dirty

What Was Occurring At The Time The Leak Started?

In many cases, you’ll find clues to your problem in the very circumstances that were surrounding it when it first happened. For example:

Did this leak occur immediately following a heavy rain? Perhaps while the surrounding ground happened to still be frozen? Have you noticed your basement having been humid for some time? Has there been a moldy or musty smell? Do you have water condensation on any of your windows or their frames? Does water seep in at the corners of the windows? This can all indicate clogged window well drains.

A lot of these clues will indication potential foundation problems, which a foundation repair expert can fix.

How to Fix A Leaky Basement Wall From The Outside

Exterior Membrane Waterproofing is the most popular method used by basement waterproofing companies to stop a basement leak, particularly when the leak is just in one area of a finished basement. Usually, this kind of leak is one that we can repair without needing to tear your beautiful basement apart.

The problem is often just a small crack in your foundation that shrinkage caused, and we usually can repair the leak in the basement by immediately excavating around the area that is affected, about 5 to 6 feet all the way down to its footing. Diagnosing leaking or wet basement problems properly can help with minimizing other expensive basement repairs. Read our basement leaks in heavy rain article.

Basement waterproofing company

How Leaking Basements Are Repaired By Basement Workers

This process begins with getting the exterior leaking wall of the basement cleaned and dried. The crack is sealed with polyurethane and then a drainage membrane is installed and sealed (an air gap is created by the drainage membrane between the wall and wet earth to prevent Hydro Static pressure and to keep the wall dry).  It results in water running down to its weeping tiles and then drained away. We only test the weeping tile and replace it if it is necessary.

Waterproofing systems all rely on there being adequate drainage at the foundation’s base. Without this, Hydro Static Floor Pressure can cause water to go up through the perimeter and the floor and wall cracks.

Common Causes Of Basement Leaks

Weeping tiles, in our experience, cause less than 2% of all of the waterproofing projects that we do. Water basically will follow a path of least resistance. When water seeps in between the earth and your foundation it begins to back up due to the dense soil. When the water backs up Hydro Static pressure is created against the foundation. This usually isn’t a problem unless the wall has a crack in it, and then water gets forced through the crack.

Whenever water reaches a functioning tile system’s gravel bed it loses all of its pressure and then gets channeled to the tile channel. When a drainage membrane is extended from the ground level over to the weeping tile system it eliminates the chance of Hydro Static pressure building up on the membrane’s interior at the wall, and prevent a leaky basement.

Other Things To Consider

There are some customers who think they need additional protection like a Blue Skin Membrane that is glued onto the wall before the drainage membrane. Check with your local waterproofing provider to see what their guarantee is. In areas where it isn’t necessary to excavate down to the footing like voids, holes, top rod, and inlets near the grade, we utilize a combination of Styrofoam, Aqua Block, Blue Skin, and Hydraulic Cement.

We do not use a drainage membrane because we do not have to excavate to the weeping tile. So make sure you get in contact with a waterproofing company to see they can help repair your leaking basement.

Water In Basement After Rain Cleanup

In as much as cleaning up the basement after a flood is something that many people dread, it is essential. It should be done as soon as possible after you are sure the flooding is over or its cause addressed. The cleanup will involve the following steps:

  • 1.    Removing the water
    Remove Water From Basement

    • Do not be quick to remove all the water at once. Pump out about a third of it, which will be about two or three feet. Mark the new water level and leave it overnight. If you find the water level higher than where you had marked on the wall, then you still have a flooding problem that you need to fix.
    • Keep repeating this until you find that the water level stays the same overnight, only then can you pump out all the water from the basement. You can use a wet vacuum to help you deal with any segmented water.
    • As you remove the water, pay attention to the foundation and the walls. Check for cracks or any signs of structural failure. Stop pumping the water if you notice any structural changes. It is likely that the foundation is shifting and this in most cases means that the water outside your house is not fully drained and is exerting pressure on the foundation walls.
  • 2.    Clear the room

    • Once you have removed the water, the next step is to clean up the place so that you can have it clean and dry and prevent mold and mildew from taking hold of the room.
    • Safety

    • Keep in mind that the flooding could have brought health hazards into your basement, and subsequently your home. As such, you should put your safety first when cleaning up the room. Wear protective gear which includes rubber boots, gloves, face mask, goggles, and overalls, especially if you are dealing with dirty, sewage water.
    • Be careful if you have any electrical equipment or sockets that are now underwater. Cut off the power before stepping into the basement. Also, avoid handling electrical appliances until everything is dry.
    • Remove the dirt

    • Do your best to get rid of any mud before it dries and hardens. You will have an easy time dealing with it while it is still wet. Ensure that you get it off the walls, scrap it from the floors and wipe it from your belongings, then you can focus on removing every last drop of water.
    • Take out the damaged Items

      When removing the items in your basement, you should consider discarding a few things. They may include:

      • Wall partitions that have been utterly soaked and damaged by the flood water. Strip down the walls to about 20″ from the water level.
      •  Carpets and floor rugs that have been deeply penetrated and damaged by the water, particularly if it was sewage.
      • Inexpensive items, such as small statues, the spare mattresses, old furniture, box springs, stuffed toys, covering, cushions, and pillows. You can check and see which things can be adequately sanitized; you can keep such items.
      • Any edible products that come into contact with the flood water
  • 3.    Clean and disinfect

    • Do you best to disinfect and sanitize the entire basement thoroughly; the same applies to any belonging that you find are worth saving. Make sure that you use the right cleaning supplies and that you adhere to the instructions on the products’ labels, especially those the product fumes. In most cases, the basements have inadequate ventilation, and the inhaling too much fumes can be dangerous.
    • When using bleach to wash down and disinfect the surfaces in the whole basement, use it in a ratio of 1:1 (a cup of bleach to a gallon of water). Remember to rinse the surfaces after using the bleach. Pay attention to what you do so that you do not miss a spot. The bleach will help to kill bacteria,  mold, and mildew.
    • Leave any closet spaces, such as closets and cupboards, open after cleaning them so that they can dry thoroughly. If your basement leaks in heavy rain read this article

Basement Leaks In Heavy Rain


Rain In Basement

Basement Leak Causes





Fixing Up Basement Leaks


  • Clean The Gutters:

  • Improve The Grading:

  • Repair Window Wells:

  • Install Some Kind Of Interior Waterproofing System:
