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Wet basement or water at the foundation.

A drainage or waterproofing contractor should handle the water, and a structural engineer should judge any wall or slab movement.

Customers put it like this

  • water in the basement after it rains
  • basement flooded
  • walls are damp
  • they dug next door and now it leaks
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Stop first if

  • Water in the basement is near wiring or equipment.Stay out until power is cut. Shut it off only if that can be done without risk. Call the utility or a licensed electrician.
  • Walls bow or crack during a flood or pump-out.Stop pumping if it can be done without risk. Leave. Call a structural engineer.
  • Someone wants a flooded basement pumped out fast while the ground is still soaked.Hold off. Have a qualified contractor pump down in stages.
01

Ask on the call

6

Homeowner? These are the questions a good technician will ask you. Having the answers ready makes the first visit count.

  1. Does water appear during rain, days later, by season or at random?
  2. Where does it come in: floor joint, wall, window or crack?
  3. Where do gutters and downspouts discharge?
  4. Is there a footing drain or sump, and where does it empty?
  5. Is anyone digging or grading next door?
  6. Is any water near electrical equipment?
02

Bring

5
  • Moisture meter
  • Flashlight
  • Tape measure
  • Phone for photos
  • Rain log sheet
03

Check on site

6
  1. During or after rain, walk the perimeter and note where each downspout discharges.
  2. Check that the grade falls away from the wall.
  3. Look for blocked window wells and areaways.
  4. Try clean gutters and downspout extensions first, then re-observe through a wet period.
  5. Find where any footing drain actually comes out.
  6. Use timing and location to sort seepage from condensation and plumbing leaks.
04

Keep on the record

4
  • Dates of water entry beside rain dates
  • Photos of entry points
  • Downspout and grade notes
  • Footing drain outlet location

General guidance for a qualified person, not a finding about any home. The person on site decides.