Preventing Basement Wall Cracks After Flooding

Flooding can be devastating. Dealing with the aftermath of a flood can be difficult. It is not uncommon for many homeowners to want to recover their property and get back to their lives as quickly as possible. However, this sense of urgency can also be the cause of many problems. You could end up causing even more damage to your foundation than the flooding waters have already done.

Rushing Can Cause Basement Wall Cracks

Yes. You read right. If you’re in a hurry to get the flood waters out of your basement, stop. Rushing to remove the water from the basement can result in basement wall cracks. This is because removing the water from the basement too quickly will result in a big difference in pressure on the inside and the outside of the basement walls.

Just because the water outside has subsided, doesn’t mean that it is completely gone. Soils can hold large volumes of water for an extended time. This is especially true for clay soils. If there is still a large volume of water in the soil around your foundation, it will cause increased hydrostatic pressure against the walls. Without the water in the basement to counteract these forces, the basement walls will bow inward and begin to crack.

How to protect your basement from basement wall cracks

The best way to protect your basement from cracks is by being patient. Don’t be in a rush to get the water out. You should instead take your time to pump the water out a little at a time.

Wait until the flood waters outside have subsided. There should be no water above the surface of the ground. Pump out water from the basement to about 2 feet and place a mark at the water level. Leave the basement overnight and check the water level the next day. If you notice that the water level is above the mark, then there is still a lot of water in the soil around the basement. This means you should wait to remove water from your basement.

If the water is below the water mark, you can go ahead and pump water to 2 feet again. Mark the water level and leave your basement overnight. Check the water level to see if there have been any changes. Repeat this procedure until all the water has been removed from the basement.

Contact the Professionals at Everdry Waterproofing of Greater Grand Rapids Today! (800) 275-7910