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Spring is on its way, and that means that soon there will be heavy rainfall. For most people, this is not an issue, but if you have a wet basement, the spring rains may mean that a call to a local St. Petersburg, FL plumbing service is in order. Water can cause a lot of problems if it is able to seep into your home. Even a small leak can cause an extensive amount of water damage if left unaddressed for a long period of time.
This is because your basement sits on top of your home’s foundation. Your foundation is the one part of your home’s structure that you do not want to be compromised. Luckily, there are a few tasks that you can take now to hopefully prevent future flooding. Of course, if you notice any water leakage you should still call a service for help, but with any luck, these preventive measures will help reduce the amount of flooding you have to deal with while you wait for your appointment.
Seal The Cracks
Oftentimes settling and simple aging can cause cracks or holes to form at the base of the walls and floor of your basement. There are three primary reasons that you may notice cracks in your basement walls: from your home settling, continual water pressure from outside of your home, or poor construction of the basement.
Regardless of the cause, sometimes sealing a hole or crack can be enough to keep water at bay until a plumbing service can evaluate the situation. If your basement is moist, it pays to sneak around it and look for cracks. Once you find where the leak is coming from, you can use a waterproof mixture to seal the cracks. Sometimes you will need something stronger, but a plumber could advise you.
Scope Out The Exterior Of Your Home
Obviously, if there is water in your home it has to come from somewhere. This means that you need to also investigate the outer exterior of your home to isolate the cause of the water damage. Many times the leak comes from the outside and slowly trickles in. For example, a clogged gutter may be forcing water to drip down the side of your home and the increased pressure is eventually allowing the new water to get into the basement.
Downspouts can also get knocked causing a steady trickle of water headed towards your basement. If your downspout is pointing in the wrong direction, redirecting it and addressing the water damage in your basement with the help of a plumbing service may be all that is needed. Keep in mind that even if you fix the gutters and downspout, a crack is still a crack. Once it is formed you will need to have it fixed or you will end up with occasional flooding from severe storms. There is no way to protect your home from rainfall in St. Petersburg FL, so you need to be smart and proactive about cracks and leaks.
Take A Look At Your Sewer Pipe
Sometimes water in your basement does not come from the walls. Instead, it may come from a clogged or broken sewer pipe which will require help from a professional service. This is even more likely the case if it hasn’t rained in your area but you are noticing water pooling in the basement.
You will not be able to see a cracked or blocked sewer pipe, but you may be able to see or smell some of the common signs. If your floor drains or any lower level home drains are draining slower than usual this can be an indication that something is wrong with your sewer pipe. In addition, a foul odor that smells like sewage can indicate that the pipes are not properly draining. Any mold or stains on the floor also serve as proof that water was leaking into your basement at some time.
The good news is that a plumbing service can help repair this problem. The first thing a professional service will likely do is insert a small camera on a wire into your sewer system. This allows them to see the interior of your sewer pipe for themselves. If they find any blockages they can clear them, and if they find a larger issue like a crack or a root blocking the pipe, the plumbing service can discuss your options.
Install A Sump Pump
Sometimes despite your best effort water still continues to leak into your basement. This is common if you live in a home that is situated on a slope. Even the strongest basement foundations can not withstand constant massive amounts of water pressure on them. In this case, you may need to talk to a plumbing service about installing a sump pump.
A sump pump goes outside of your home in the area where flooding occurs. Its purpose is to redirect water out to the sewer system so that instead of pooling and eventually leaking through the basement wall it is taken care of properly. The sump pump is dug into a hole so that water naturally heads down the incline towards it instead of settling under the ground against the foundation. Sump pumps are extremely effective tools if properly installed by a plumbing service.
Get A Plumbing Service To Help Diagnose The Problem
Whether you know what the problem in your basement is or need help solving it, Drain Flo Plumbing of St. Petersburg, FL will be glad to help. We have served this region since 2008 and our team will be happy to offer any customer a free estate. Give us a call today so we can help you avoid flooding before the major spring rainfall begins.
