The Top Causes of Flooding and Flooded Basements
A basement is the lowest level in a building that is built entirely or partly below the ground level. These low levels of a building are naturally prone to flooding. Basement flooding can occur at any time. Although basement flooding occurs mostly during the rainy season or when snow rapidly melts in spring, it can also occur during the dry weather in certain instances. Flooding in the basement can be caused by the reasons highlighted in the following text.
A blocked sanitary lateral- the sanitary lateral is a feature that is subject to degradation over time. As it degrades, several things happen. For instance, the roots of the trees might penetrate causing the lateral to collapse. In such a scenario, the lateral may end up being blocked resulting in flooding.
Foundation drainage failure- the subdivisions of a building foundation are in some cases constructed in lower-lying areas that are wetter than others. In such cases, the drainage system of the foundation, whether by a pump or gravity, must work to keep the water level in the basement lower than that on the floor of the basement. This pressure may cause these pumps to fail, resulting in basement flooding.
Faults in the water supply systems. - A basement flood can result from a break in the internal supply plumbing of a home. It most often occurs due to the puncture of a pipe, aged plumbing or splitting of a pipe due to freezing.
Overland flooding or surface inflow where the surface water may pool around a house, especially during heavy rains or rapidly melting snow. During such times, water can quickly flow into the house. Proximity to a stream or a road-side ditch may also present such risks. It is important, therefore, to grade the property properly to reduce the chances of surface water getting into the home.
Seepage - in the event that the water table rises, it can get to the basement through holes, cracks or other unintended flow paths. It is considered to be part of the process of aging of the materials used to build it. This causes basement flooding which needs flood repair, especially during the heavy rainy seasons.
The surcharged condition, which is a situation where the sewer systems are full. In such a case, the water levels may rise above the pipe. If the levels of the sewerage in the system exceed that of the basement, flows get blocked. It is even worse when the sewage flows towards the home. Read more at http://www.ehow.com/about_6098618_drywall-water-damage.html.