Why Do Basements Flood?

Spring Thaw is one of the main reasons basements will flood at this time of year. try and clear snow away from the foundation of your home - better yet, try not to pile snow against the house or foundation throughout the winter months.  

Water can enter your basement for a number of reasons. Water in your basement is most likely to occur during periods of heavy rainfall, or when snow is melting rapidly during a spring thaw. In these cases, your basement can be wet because of:

• a leak or crack in your home’s foundation or basement walls
• poor lot drainage - watre should drain away from the house  
• failure of the weeping tiles (foundation drains)
• overflowing eavestroughs or leaking/plugged downspouts

Basement flooding may also occur because of:

• a blocked connection between your home and the main sewer in the street
• a back-up of wastewater in the sewer system (or a combination of wastewater and rainwater from the sanitary or combined sewer system)
• failure of a sump pump (in some areas) used to pump weeping tile water

Basements are also vulnerable to natural river flooding disasters, but these cannot be addressed by individual homeowners.

Other Helpful seasonsal TIPS to come

Something to consider: If it has been a few years since you moved into your home, look into having your home inspected again to address any issues you may have forgotten about over the years and see if anything has changed since your initial inspection - Things to look for woould include

• Downspouts / Eavstroughs
• Soil build up or landscaping can change or alter drainage around the house
• Air Conditioning units (winter storage / protection)
• Window Quality
• Roof shingles

SCOTT ROY 
RE/MAX Jazz
21 Drew Street
Oshawa, Ontario

(905) 728-1600
(905) 435-SELL direct

scott@lifeindurham.com