What Your Plumber Will Tell You About Dealing with Flooding | Knoxville, TN
Wednesday, March 25th, 2020
Photo By onurdongel at istock
Have you ever experienced flooding in your home? If you have then you already know just how much of a hassle it can be. And you know how overwhelming it can be. But the truth is, there’s a lot that you can do to make sure you’re not at such a high risk for flooding problems. And your plumber can tell you a great deal about how to prepare and protect your Knoxville, TN home from this type of damage.
Preparation Comes First
The first thing you should be doing, which your local plumber will tell you, is preparing your home for a potential flood. What would most likely be the problem for flooding? Why would it happen? First, sewers that back into your home are a big cause of flooding. Too much water around your property can cause it to seep back into your basement or crawlspace and a burst pipe or something else in the area can cause water to pool around and in your home. In order to fix these problems there are a few things your plumber can help you with.
The first thing is installing a sump pump in your basement. These are designed to pump water out of the basement and into a storm drain. When they do this you don’t have to worry about water backing up into your home. That goes for regular water and it goes for the water in your sewer system as well. As long as you don’t lose power your sump pump will continue to work and keep doing its best to clear out any water that does get into your basement. But it’s a good idea to keep as much out as possible so it doesn’t get overloaded.
Next, look into drains in your basement. Just like you can install a sump pump you can also put in additional drains. You’ve likely seen these at warehouses and other locations that you’ve been to and they can be extremely effective in getting rid of moisture. Sloping the basement floor even a little bit toward these drains will make sure they stay clear and any moisture and water that do get in will be directed toward those drains immediately, keeping your basement cleaner and safer from water buildup.
Coating the interior of your basement with specific products including some types of paint can help protect against water. These products seal the stone of your basement (or whatever your basement is made of) so it’s more difficult for the water to seep through. If there’s a large amount of water all at once this may not be able to protect your basement but if there’s just a little water or it’s seeping through gradually you can use these types of products to protect your home a little better and keep the water from getting in.
Outside the Home
Outside your house you can look at your current downspouts as well. Make sure that they are clear of any kind of debris and that they are pointing any water away from your house. They should have an actual spout at the bottom that keeps water from just being dropped at the base of your house. If that’s the case you could be causing that water to seep into the basement. A plumber can help you create a plan to get your downspouts and gutters clean and clear and pointed away from the base of your home so that the water is being drained away properly.
Putting in what are considered French drains is another good idea. These drains can be put in around your property and they’re going to help drain away any water that starts to pool. You should also look into building up the foundation of your home. Building up dirt and even putting in plants can help water to stay away from the foundation of your home. These will keep that water from seeping into your basement, which is going to keep your home from flooding. And all it takes is some planning with your plumber and a landscaper to make it happen.
Take Care of It Quickly
If you do end up with water in your basement and you’re dealing with flooding then you want to get it taken care of right away. Call a plumber to come out to your house. They can help you figure out what the source of the problem is if it’s something you can fix (rather than just a large amount of rain that no one can predict). They can also help you put a plan in place for how to keep this from happening again in the future and how to be better prepared for anything that might come your way.
Another thing they can help you with is actually getting the water out. You may need to call professionals in flooding relief and get them to help with this process too, depending on just how extensive the flooding actually is. On the other hand, you and your local plumber may be able to take care of things entirely on your own. Either way, you’re going to need professional help with even a small amount of water getting into your basement because you want to keep it from happening a second time.
If you’re in need of a professional plumber make sure you’re calling My Professional Plumber of Knoxville, TN. We can get a professional to your home to take care of any plumbing emergencies and we can help you with the process of protecting your basement as well. Our team can help you figure out just what’s going on with your basement and why it’s flooding. More than that, they can help you put a plan in place to actually decrease the flooding and keep your home safer than ever. You want to make sure your home is protected from flooding and that’s something that our team can absolutely help you out with whenever you need it.