Most basement losses after a storm start with something that could have been checked beforehand: a clogged gutter, a window well full of leaves or a sump that has not been tested. This checklist runs through the steps before, during and after a heavy rain so the household knows what to do without deciding it in the dark.
Key takeaways
- Clear the gutters and check the downspouts before the wet months, and make sure they discharge away from the wall.
- Window wells and floor drains are the usual entries for storm water, and both should be kept clear.
- Test the sump by pouring water into the pit, and check that the battery backup is working where one is fitted.
- Keep the power to the basement safe: know where the panel is and which outlets sit low.
- Photograph the water and the room before moving anything, and note the time it was first seen.
- Call the line when the water is in the house, and keep out of the water until it has been checked.
What should be checked in the weeks before the wet season?
The gutters, the downspouts, the grade and the sump should be checked before the first heavy storm, while there is time to fix what is found.
Gutters that are full of leaves overflow onto the same few feet of soil each storm, and that soil stays saturated long after the rain has stopped. Cleaning the gutters and checking that the downspouts carry water at least a few feet away from the foundation is the cheapest step on this list.
The grade should slope away from the house. Soil that has settled against the wall holds water against the foundation, and a low spot near the wall is where water collects. Fill and regrade are jobs for a landscaper, and the checklist simply notes where the problem is.
Are the window wells and the floor drain clear?
Window wells fill with leaves and silt, and floor drains clog with debris. Both are common entry points for storm water in a basement.
A window well that is full drains against the glass and the frame, and the water finds the gap at the sill. A cover or a drain at the bottom of the well keeps the water out, and the well should be cleared of debris before each season.
The floor drain should be checked for debris and tested by running water down it. A drain that gurgles or runs slowly is a warning that the line beyond it is partly blocked, and the plumber should be called before the next storm.
Does the sump work, and does the battery backup?
A sump that has not been tested may fail in the first storm of the season. A battery backup needs its battery checked, because a storm is often the time the power goes off.
Testing the sump is simple. Pour a bucket of water into the pit, watch the float rise, and confirm that the pump lifts the water and shuts off when the level drops. If the float sticks or the pump does not discharge, the plumber should look at it before the storm arrives.
A battery backup is useful only if the battery is charged and the unit is connected to the sump circuit. The battery should be checked on the schedule the manufacturer gives, and the test should be written down so the household knows when it was last done.
What should the household do during the storm?
Move valuables and papers off the basement floor, keep the power to the basement off if water is coming in, and stay out of standing water.
Boxes, papers and any item on the basement floor should be moved to a higher shelf or upstairs if there is time. The most important papers and the family's photographs should go first, since they cannot be replaced from the same copy.
If water is coming through the wall or the floor, the power to the basement should be turned off at the panel if the panel is dry and reachable. If it is not, stay out of the basement and call the power company from outside.
What is the first thing to do after the water appears?
Close the main if the source is a line, keep out of the water, and make the building safe before anyone goes into the wet area.
The first call is to the line, and the questions come in order: where the water came from, whether the main is closed, whether the power to the wet area is safe and how deep the water is. The answers set the first steps, and the household should keep the water away from the stairs and the furnace while they are being answered.
Nobody should walk through standing water near the panel, the furnace or the water heater. Those are the points where a short circuit or a gas leak is most likely, and they stay off until they have been checked.
What should be photographed before anything is moved?
The water line, the room, the damaged items and the outside of the house, with the time and date of each photograph.
Photographs of the outside show the grade, the downspouts and the window wells as they were during the storm. Photographs of the inside show the water line on the wall, the items on the floor and the state of the carpet and the drain.
Each photograph should be kept with the date. The record is the first thing an insurer will ask for, and a clear set of photographs taken before the clean-up is worth more than a description written later.
What happens in the days after the storm?
The basement should be checked again after the rain stops, because water can keep coming in from the ground for a day or more.
A damp line on the wall that appears a day after the storm is a sign that water is still moving through the wall or the floor. The sump should be checked for the level of the water in the pit, and the window wells should be checked for silt.
The household should note any smell, any new stain and any change to the carpet or the floor. Those notes help the restoration work plan the drying, and they show the insurer the full path of the water.
When should the line be called?
Call as soon as water is in the house, even if it is small, and call before any repair is made to the wall, the floor or the drain.
A small amount of water that is still coming in is a reason to call, because the source may still be open. A wet wall or a damp carpet that does not dry in a day is also a reason to call, and it is better to have the readings taken early than to close a wall that is still wet.
The call should say where the water came from, how it arrived and what has already been done. Those three facts let the first questions be answered quickly, and the rest of the work follows from them.
What about the neighbors' drains and the public line?
A basement can be affected by drains and lines outside the house, which the owner does not control. Knowing where the public line runs and who answers for it helps when a backup happens.
The public sewer line and the storm drains in the street are the responsibility of the local public works offices, not the homeowner. A backup that comes from the public line is a question for those offices, while the lines on the property belong to the owner and a plumber.
A neighbor's downspout or a neighbor's grade can send water toward the house, and a conversation before the wet season is often the cheapest fix. The owner should note any water that comes across the boundary, with photographs, so the issue can be raised.
What does a storm-season routine look like?
A short routine, repeated before each wet season and after each heavy storm, catches most of the problems this checklist names. It takes less time than the clean-up it prevents.
Before the season: the gutters, the downspouts, the window wells, the sump test and the power check. After each heavy storm: a walk around the outside, a look at the basement stairs and the floor, and a note of any damp line or smell.
Keep the routine on a single card in the house, with the date of each check. A written record of the routine is useful to the insurer, because it shows the house was maintained before the loss.
Which storms need the most attention?
The storms that bring the most water are the long, steady rains that saturate the ground, and the short, intense downpours that overwhelm the drains. Both can cause a basement loss, and each calls for a slightly different check.
A long steady rain tends to raise the ground water around the foundation, which pushes harder on the walls over the hours. The sump and the wall line are the things to watch. A short intense downpour tends to fill the street drains and the window wells quickly, so the floor drain and the window wells are the things to watch.
A household that knows which kind of storm is coming, from the forecast or from the sky, can focus its checks. The checklist works the same for both kinds, but the order of the checks can change with the storm.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I clear the gutters?
Before the wet season and again after the leaves fall. A gutter that overflows in a storm is one of the most common sources of water at a foundation.
What if I cannot find the sump float?
Look in the pit with the power off. If the float is hidden, the plumber can find and test it.
Should I unplug the sump during a storm?
No. The sump needs to run during the storm. Keep the power to the pump and the panel safe, and check the pit from above if water is rising.
Is it safe to go down the basement stairs during a storm?
Only if the stairs are dry and the power to the basement is off or safe. Standing water on the stairs is a fall and a shock risk.
Do I need a permit to fix the grade?
Regrading is usually a landscaping job, but a retaining wall or a change to the drainage may need a permit. Ask the building department before any structural change.
What should I tell the line when I call?
The street, the floor the water is on, where it came from, how deep it is and what has already been done.
Should I check the basement during every storm?
During a heavy storm, check from the top of the stairs or from a dry point. After the storm, check the floor, the wall line and the drain before going down the stairs.
Sources
This guide is general information for Lake County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.