Tuesday, July 14th by Shannon Brelsford
When disaster strikes and our homes are damaged, we can often be left floundering, wondering what comes next. The stress of a basement flood is a lot to handle, water comes on fast, and it doesn’t stop for anything. Not to mention the ramifications beyond the general property destruction. Thankfully, we’re no stranger to floods in the United States--we’ve got you covered.
The first step after any home water event, if possible, is to first turn off the electricity, and then remove as much water as you can. If you have a shop vac, this is a good tool for the job. The main objective is removing as much moisture as you can to prevent mass mold and rot issues, mostly to your belongings, but also to building materials--such as if the basement is finished.
Once you’ve gotten as much water out as possible, you’ll need to find the source of the water. Typically with basement groundwater floods, the water finds an entry through cracks in the foundation, basement floor, or up through the joints around the perimeter of the basement. However, it’s not uncommon to find that a weak window seal could be the root of the issue, so make sure to check each of these areas as thoroughly as possible.
Whether or not you’re able to find the source, it’s always best to call a licensed basement waterproofing company. An experienced professional will be able to pinpoint the cause of the leak and begin to form a plan to keep the basement a dry and healthy space within the home.
Being such a large landmass, the United States has many different climates all jumbled together. Different climates means different soil types, which will retain different amounts of water. To help keep track of this, there are Groundwater Maps that show the different levels of groundwater across the nation.
Seeing as there are 50 states that make up our considerably sized nation, it can get a bit confusing when looking for resources categorized by state. For this reason, we’ve compiled an easy to navigate list of these resources--so you don’t have to go crazy searching.
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The Arizona Department of Water Resources Floodplain Management & Flood Warning page
The Arizona Emergency Information Network’s Flooding Information page
The Arizona Emergency Information Network’s Flood Risk Information page
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The Arkansas Department of Emergency Management’s Flood Information page
The Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Floodplain Management page
The Arkansas Department of Health’s Flood Water Safety Information page
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The California Department of Water Resources’s Flood Risk Notification page
The California Department of Water Resources’s Flood Preparedness Information page
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The Georgia Emergency Management & Homeland Security Agency’s Floods & Flash Floods Information page
The Georgia Emergency Management & Homeland Security Agency’s Floodplain Management page
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The State of Hawaii, DLNR Engineering Division’s Flood Control & Dam Safety Information page
The State of Hawaii Department of Land & Natural Resources’ Flood Hazard Assessment Tool
The National Weather Service’s Hawaii Flood Resource & Information page
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The Idaho Department of Water Resources’ Flooding Resources page
The Idaho Department of Water Resources’ Floodplain Management Information page
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The Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ National Flood Insurance Information & Resources page
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ Floodplain Management Guide for Illinois Communities
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The Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ Floodplain Mapping Information page
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ National Flood Insurance Program Information page
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The Kansas Department of Agriculture’s Floodplain Management Resources & Information page
The USGS Kansas Water Science Center’s Flood Information & Resource page
The Kansas Department of Agriculture's Kansas Base Flood Elevation Portal
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The Kentucky Flood Zone Location Information & Resource page
The Kentucky Association of Mitigation Managers Flood Risk & Preparation Information & Resource page
The Kentucky Association of Mitigation Managers Floodplain Management Information page
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The Louisiana Governor's Office Flood Recovery Resource page
The Louisiana Department of Health’s Emergency Preparedness Flood Information & Resource page
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The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry’s Community Assistance Information page
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The Maryland Emergency Management Agency’s Flood Information & Resource page
The Maryland Emergency Management Agency’s Flood Relief Assistance Information & Resource page
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The Massachusetts Floodplain Management Information & Resource page
The Massachusetts Flooding & Sewage Back-Ups Home Care Guide
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The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ Floodplain Maps & Technical Resources page
The Minnesota Commerce Department’s ‘What to do After a Flood’ Information & Resource page
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The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency’s Weather Alerts page
The Mississippi State Department of Health’s Flood Health & Safety Information page
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The Missouri Department of Agriculture’s Flood Resource page
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources’ Flood Information, News & Resources page
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The Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation’s Floodplain Management Information page
The Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation’s Flood & Fire Resource page
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The Nebraska Department of Natural Resources Floodplain Management Information page
The Nebraska Department of Natural Resources Interactive Floodplain Map page
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The State of Nevada Division of Emergency Management-Homeland Security’s Flood Information page
The National Weather Service’s Flooding in Nevada Information page
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The USGS New York Water Science Center’s Groundwater & Streamflow Information page
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Floodplain Management Information page
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The Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness' Flood Information & Safety Tips page
The Ohio Flood & Flash Flood Safety Information & Resources page
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The Oklahoma Water Resources Board’s Floodplain Management Information page
FEMA’s Oklahoma Disaster Mitigation Information & Resource page
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The State of Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency’s Flood Information & Resource page
The National Weather Service’s Flooding in Rhode Island Information & Resources page
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The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources’ Flood Mitigation Program Information & Resources
The United Way South Carolina Flood Assistance Information & Resource page
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The South Dakota Department of Public Safety’s National Flood Insurance Information & Resource page
The South Dakota Response General Flood Information & Resource page
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The Tennessee Department of Military's Flood Insurance Mapping page
The Tennessee Department of Military’s National Flood Insurance Program Information & Resource page
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The Texas Water Development Board’s Community Flood Resources & Information page
The Texas Floodplain Management Association’s Floodplain Management Quick Guide
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The Utah Department of Public Safety’s Emergency Management Flood Facts Information page
The Utah Geological Survey’s Geological Hazards Information & Resource page
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The Washington Department of Ecology Floods & Floodplain Planning Information & Resources page
The National Weather Service’s Flooding in Washington Information & Resource page
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The Wisconsin Bureau of Environmental & Occupational Health’s Flood Toolkit
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services Flood Hazards & Recovery Information & Resource page
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The Wyoming Homeland Security National Flood Insurance Program Information & Resource page
The National Weather Service’s Flooding In Wyoming Information & Resource page
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Basement flooding is a common problem in most areas around the country, especially areas with more temperate climates, that experience a fair amount of precipitation each year. The ground is already holding moisture, and when heavy storms come, the soil simply can’t retain anymore, causing the water to search for a new place to go. The trouble is that typically, homeowners insurance will not cover a basement flood. If the water is found to have come from a burst pipe, broken appliance or fixture, the insurance policy will apply--but if the source is a crack, gap or damaged window seal, there’s nothing that can be done by Insurance.
Because of this, many waterproofing professionals have set up Financing Programs, to help homeowners when insurance doesn’t cover the damage.
The stress of a water event is a lot to handle, and having a clear idea of what’s going to happen next can do a lot to relieve that stress. There are some government resources that shed light on waterproofing processes that can help prevent damage to the home in the event of future water issues, but most deal with major flooding events, rather than groundwater floods in the basement.
There are a variety of ways to protect your home from groundwater, and the course of action to be taken will depend upon your homes specific needs. Factors such as the material of the foundation, the type of soil around the home, and the amount of groundwater in the area will all play into the final system and which products will be used to protect the home from further incidents.
If you’ve experienced a flood or serious water event in the basement, the experts here at Basement Systems are here to help, reach out today!
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