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basement flooding, basement waterproofing

Common Causes of a Flooded Basement and Why You Need Basement Waterproofing

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Basements can flood. It’s unfortunate as a basement is an integral part of your lifestyle. You store your belongings there. You may have a laundry room, a rec room, a den, or, more importantly, a family member may live there. It has a lot of activity. 

And, if you have lived in Maryland during a typical spring or summer, you have experienced heavy rains and even flooding. There are several floodplains in Maryland and many citizens carry flood insurance on their homes. *** As we have covered in previous blogs, flooding in your basement can result in major and expensive damage which may not be covered by your homeowner’s insurance policy.  

Flooding is one of many reasons for your basement to flood. Here are several reasons:

  1. Poorly made or deteriorated waterproofing. Many parts of Maryland, including the Silver Spring, MD area, experience heavy rain or microbursts of rain. This water can get into the basement and flows into hairline cracks. It also leaks into the walls and floors causing flooding. When a home is built, the foundation, walls, and floors are waterproofed with a sealant to protect it from water leakage and flooding. These sealants, like anything else, deteriorate over time creating cracks. If you are seeing pools of water or flooding in your basement, it is time for an upgrade of the basement waterproofing. 
  2. Poor quality drainage system. Drain tile collects the underground water. It’s located under the basement floor level around the building to make sure that water moves away from your home so it won’t leak into it. Degraded drain tile may cause flooding if there is no proper basement waterproofing.
  3. Plumbing leaks. Though your home may not be located in a Maryland Flood Zone, plumbing failures may cause basement flooding. Pipes can burst, the sewer line may be blocked or the sewer system may be engulfed with water, causing a backup in sinks and toilets. Plumbing leaks bring a large amount of water quickly into the basement. It smells musty or worse as it may come from the sewer backup or clogged drains.  
  4. Clogged gutters. Gutters primarily drain rainwater and melting ice. Trees can fill up gutters along with leaves, sticks, acorns, and even dead animals, thus impeding the gutters from sending water away from your home foundation, eventually creating cracks in it. Gutters should be cleaned 2-3 times a year.
  5. Damaged sump pump. Sump pumps keep the basement dry and clear from groundwater. The pump collects surplus water from the foundation or from rainfall and drains it outside. Sump pumps regularly need to be inspected, cleaned, and tested so that it is properly working. It has to have electricity to operate so if a storm knocks out the power, the pump cannot work, causing a flooded basement.
  6. Downspout failure. Downspouts transport water from the gutter, directing it away from the home and foundation. If a downspout is broken or too close to the wall, it will drain the water back toward the basement and overload the weeping tile. This can cause basement flooding if there is no waterproofing. Downspouts need to drain 5-6 feet away from the wall. 
  7. Leak in the supply line. When the water supply line and hot-water tank fail, the basement will flood. It happens during the winter months when water freezes and expands. The water pipes burst and flooding ensues. 

The good news is that all basement flooding is preventable. You should call your basement waterproofing contractor to do an inspection on your home foundation to make sure your home is protected when those heavy Maryland rains arrive.   

M Taylor Enterprise can inspect your home foundation to see if you have any basement waterproofing issues. Call our home foundation and structural repair experts in Maryland at (301) 649-3406 or matt@mtaylorenterprise.com. We will do a free consultation, make recommendations then do any needed repairs quickly and efficiently.

We serve Montgomery County, parts of Prince George’s and Howard Counties.

*** For more information on Maryland Flood Zones, visit the FEMA website.  

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Protect Your Home Foundation With French Drains

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Rains, snow, and ice in Central Maryland can cause flooding and water damage. ***

As we have discussed in my previous blogs, you must make sure that water is directed away from the home foundation. If water is allowed to pool around the home foundation or leaks into the basement, it can cause significant damage to the foundation, walls, and interior. It can be costly to repair. 

French Drains, which can be built around the perimeter of the home, direct water away from the home foundation. French drains, using gravity and sump pumps, remove the water and keep it away from the foundation so that it doesn’t erode the home foundation. 

Drains move water away from one area to another. A French drain is a ditch lined with gravel and a perforated pipe. It makes it easy for water to flow through the gravel and into a drainage pipe. The perforated pipe is set at a downward-sloping angle allowing gravity to work. It can also be used to prevent basement flooding and protect the home foundation from water damage. A weeping tile French drain protects the home structure against hydrostatic pressure. These weeping tile French drains are placed around the home perimeter to draw water away from the foundation.

There are three main reasons that you may want to install a French drain in your home:

  1. It redirects moisture. As mentioned earlier, the French drain uses gravity to redirect the water away from the home foundation. Water has to be removed so that it and moisture won’t weaken the concrete foundation. That water will freeze and thaw during the winter. The French drain resolves this as it can direct the moisture to another part of the yard, including the garden or yard, making it an environmentally smart method of improving the yard’s appearance. 
  2. Keeps the soil together. It prevents or mitigates soil erosion. After heavy rains, soil can erode quickly. An inefficient drainage system will not deal with erosion problems in your yard. Decay means plants will have fewer nutrients and moisture. Erosion also ruins the landscape look. French drains prevent soil erosion. It prevents water saturation and keeps a balanced moisture level in garden soil. 
  3. Barely see them. Since a French drain is underground, it can barely be seen. Pipes and gravel can be covered by grass, pavers, and pebbles. 
  4. Cost-effective. French drains can be quite affordable depending on the length of pipe needed and other installation factors. 

If you are concerned about the coming snow and ice that we see in Central Maryland, you may want to consider having French drains installed around your home. These drains will go a long way toward preserving your home foundation. 

If you want a French Drain installed, contact M. Taylor Enterprise for an inspection. We will analyze it and make recommendations. Our experienced basement waterproofing team can install it. Contact us at (301) 649-3406 for a consultation.

We serve the Montgomery County, Maryland area.

*** For more on Central Maryland weather, visit the Maryland Weather website. 

 

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Four Ways to Tell if Your Drainage Systems Were Damaged After a Heavy Rain

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Maryland has been hit with several major rainstorms this summer. Besides scaring us to death and knocking out the power, these storms have also caused millions of dollars in water damage. 

Additionally, Hurricane Isaias brought trees down, road closures, and flooding. *** Water has damaged thousands of homes in Maryland and on the East Coast. 

Your home may be experiencing the effects of the storms and hurricane, too. Here are four ways to tell if your drainage systems were damaged:

  1. Pipes bursting and cracking: It’s not hard to tell if your pipes are bursting or cracking as you will notice it when you turn on the faucet. Your water will be dark. The water will taste awful-like copper. Typically, rainwater pools up in the pipes and causes them to break. So, the freshwater will have soil, soot, and other bacteria in it. 
  2. Flooding: Heavy rains like the ones we have had, cause water to accumulate in the yard. The water has nowhere to go if there isn’t any proper drainage, so it begins to flood your basement, driveway, sidewalk, or porch. This severe water damage then causes these spaces around your home to be weakened. Before it causes any more damage, the correct drainage should be installed.
  3. Sewage backup: One of the grossest results of a deluge or two of rain is what it does to your sewer line. The heavy rain builds up debris in the outdoor drains which clog the pipes. If the sewer line that runs to your home is blocked, the wastewater accumulates in the clogged drains. Eventually, the pipes may burst or crack sending all of it into your home or onto the ground.
  4. Indoor drains blocked or clogged: Water pools in your shower, bathtub, sink, or other drains. This is caused by the heavy rains bringing in debris like soil, trash, branches, leaves, sticks, and even bugs. All of this junk clogs up your drainage systems which back up the entire drainage. 

These storms can wreak serious damage to your home drainage systems. If you see any of these signs, call your experienced home foundation repair contractor to get it fixed. When the next heavy rain hits, and it will, you will be ready. The longer you delay, the more these clogs and cracks to your pipes will cause damage. Usually, a home foundation contractor can assess the damage and repair the drainage systems fairly quickly.     

M Taylor Enterprise basement waterproofing contractors can do a consultation in Prince George and Silver Spring, MD area. If you have seen any of these red flags in your home, call our home foundation and structural repair experts in Maryland at (301) 649-3406 or matt@mtaylorenterprise.com. We will do a free consultation, make recommendations then do any needed repairs done quickly and efficiently. 

** See reports of Maryland rain and hurricane damage here.