Avoid A Flooded Basement - Advice From Fairfax Plumbing Specialists

Basement flooding, contrary to what you might think, is no laughing matter. Unfortunately when it gets wet in Fairfax, Virginia - as it so often does during the rainy season - basements that haven’t been properly waterproofed have a tendency to flood. And a flood is not a free bath. Floods can damage your property and electrical supplies - they can even kill (pneumonia, drowning, etc.). Fairfax plumbing specialists have a plethora of advice on what to do to sufficiently protect your basement from flash flooding to help make sure your insurance premium doesn’t rise and your house value doesn’t decline because of repeated flooding.

Basements flood at times of heavy rainfall. Being the lowest area of your house, it is the most likely to flood. That’s basic science: what goes up, must...you know the rest. There are a number of things that could cause your basement to flood, including, but not limited to, the aforementioned torrent of rain water falling heavily from the sky, a blocked connection from your home to the main sewer, poor lot drainage, and, a personal favourite of the Fairfax plumbing specialists (suckers for a nice rhyming couplet) the failure or absence of a sump pump.

It is important to make sure your floor drains are well fitted and clear from blockages in times of increased flood risks (i.e. during rainy season); do not pour any fat or greasy liquids down these drains as this could cause blockages to build up. Fairfax plumbing specialists recommend getting your drainage systems checked by a professional if you are unsure it is fully functional.

The fitting of a sump pump, a mechanical excess water removal device (you can see why it’s simplified to ‘sump pump’), can reduce flooding risks in times of high water volumes and sufficiently drain excess water so your basement won’t flood to a damaging level. Sometimes flooding will be unavoidable, unfortunately. It is important to maintain your sump pump to make sure it remains functional throughout the year. To do this you should remove and clean the sump pump at least once a year and check the pit fairly regularly to make sure it is free of debris. If it is not, remove the debris before doing anything else. You can test the effectiveness of your sump pump by pouring water into the pit and watching to see if it drains. If it is not working you should contact your local Fairfax plumbing specialists to repair it as soon as possible.

It is essential to keep standing water well away from your basement on the outside of your house; if the build up of water happens often it can cause leaks through the ceiling of your basement. The solution is to fit elongated downspouts to your guttering; this will channel the water to a greater distance from your house and your basement.

Sarah Saadoun works for HMS Plumbing, a family-owned business in Manassas, Northern Virginia. If you need Fairfax plumbing specialists, Herve and his dedicated employees at HMS are proud to be serving the plumbing needs of Northern Virginia residents and businesses. For a reliable Fairfax plumber HMS Plumbing is your first choice.

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