I've got a bit of a situation with my basement. My house was built in 1965, and I bought it in 2020. Every time we have heavy rain, I find a huge puddle right in the middle of the basement floor, and I have to use a shop-vac to clean it up. Even though I replaced the plumbing and installed two sump pumps, it hasn't made much of a difference. I clean the gutters regularly and even added extensions to move the water away from the foundation, but it doesn't seem to help. I'm really hoping to avoid spending a ton on waterproofing. Has anyone else experienced this? The water isn't near any walls; it's just right in the center and it's a pretty big puddle.
4 Answers
Consider upgrading to 6-inch commercial-grade gutters and directing them to the side of your house with the most slope away from the foundation. This should help to intercept and channel the rainwater more effectively.
It sounds like you might be dealing with groundwater seeping up through the slab instead of surface water issues. The sump pumps will only help if they're positioned correctly and if you have a proper drain tile system under there. You might need to dig up that area and install drain tile connecting to your sump, then reseal it to keep the water out. I know this could be pricey, but trust me, it's way cheaper than dealing with mold or foundation problems later.
Sounds like the water table is rising during the rain. If you can lower the ground level outside below your basement floor level, it might relieve some pressure. If not, you’ll likely need to create a proper drainage path to your sump pump, which might involve cutting the floor.
Have you checked how far you're diverting the gutter downspouts from the foundation? Make sure the water moves away and doesn't soak back into the ground near your house. Also, consider your property's overall drainage. Are the sump pumps doing any good, or are they just overwhelmed? And where are they discharging the water—into the sewer or somewhere else?
Definitely. Lowering the outside ground level could really help with the water issues, but you might also want to think about how to keep that water away from your foundation.