Types of Basement Flooding:
1. Infiltration flooding - when soil around your home becomes saturated or when the ground water level rises higher than you basement and/or your weeping tiles are not working or are non-existent, water will get into your basement through cracks in the foundation walls and floor.
2. Overland flooding - when water flows overland it may enter basements through windows, doors, vents and other openings. This could be due to improper grading, exposed window wells, and extreme we weather conditions that exceeds the capacity of overland routes or underground pipes.
3. Sewer backup flooding - extreme weather events can overwhelm the City's sewer system and result in flooding. When this happens the water level in the system rises above the normal design levels. This condition is referred to as a surcharge. Basement flooding can cause serious damage and create a health hazard if not addressed properly.
Potential Causes of Flooding
A. Weeping tiles and downspouts connected to the sanitary sewer
During heavy rainfall, the water from the roof eavestroughs that are connected to the weeping tile through the downspouts may cause weeping tiles to become overwhelmed. If your weeping tiles are connected to the sanitary pipes, this may cause rainwater or sewage to back up in your home.
Solution: Disconnect weeping tiles and downspouts from the sanitary sewer system.
Have a qualified plumber investigate disconnecting your weeping tiles and downspouts from the sanitary sewer system.
B. Malfunctioning sump pump
If your home has a sump pump, it may have malfunctioned. This could cause your basement to flood.
Solution: Replace your sump pump
Make sure you maintain your sump pump properly. If your sump pump stopped working in the past, contact a qualified plumber to replace it. It is common for homes to lose power during severe storms, which can affect sump pump operation. Install a battery backup on your sump pump to avoid this.
C. Surface Water
Basement flooding can occur:
- when the ground is saturated around the foundation walls
- when weeping tiles are not working properly
Solution: Smart landscaping
- Check that the ground around your house slopes away from your foundation. This helps keep water from entering through cracks in your foundation or overloading the weeping tiles. View more information about lot grading and drainage.
- Direct your downspouts away from the home where water can be easily absorbed, such as your lawn or garden.
- Connect the downspout to a rain barrel and direct the overflow hose towards your lawn or garden, not onto your neighbours property.
D. City Sanitary sewer pipe full
Sewage can back up into the basement if the City's sanitary sewer pipe is full due to large amounts water.
Solution: Flood proofing devices.
Homes prone to flooding may benefit from plumbing improvements. These include.
- Backwater valve (BWV)
- A sewer BWV is designed to protect your home in the event that the sewer system wants to come back into your home. A BWV is a on-way valve that acts as a defense against flooding, provided that the BWV is maintained.
- A BWV is comprised of a flap with small floats to rise which would then raise the flap blocking the sewage from continuing through the pipe.
- It is recommended you clean your BWV once a year.
- Please visit the Backwater Valve Protocol Website for installation of a Backwater valve.
