Sewer back-up
- In a cloudburst the town sewer can fill past capacity, and the overflow looks for the lowest opening in the house: the basement floor drain. The water is grey or brown and smells. Your best protection is a backwater valve fitted in the main.
- A blocked private lateral from roots or grease causes the same symptom on a dry day. Clearing and camera-inspecting the lateral is the fix.
Groundwater
- Water seeping through foundation cracks or along the floor-wall joint comes from saturated soil. Weeping tile and a sump pump carry it away, and grading that slopes away from the house keeps it from building up. Extend downspouts so roof water lands two metres or more from the walls.
- In Oak Ridges and around the kettle lakes, the water table is high and sumps work hard.
Quick checklist
- Backwater valve
- Sump backup
- Grading
- Pipe insulation
- Water heater pan
Sump pump failure
- A pump that dies, a float that sticks, a power outage or a frozen discharge line lets the pit overflow. Testing the pump each spring and adding a battery backup addresses most of these.
- A pit that overflows during rain is a sump problem, not a sewer problem.
Pipes and appliances
- Burst supply lines, failing water heaters and washer hoses can flood a basement from the inside. Shut-off valves you can reach, braided hoses, water heater pans and leak sensors reduce the damage.
- When the water is clear and rising steadily with no rain, check the supply side first.
Richmond Hill note: most houses here sit on York Region municipal water with fairly hard supply, and many basements have a floor drain tied to the sanitary lateral. Mention both on the phone; it changes what goes on the truck.
Want a second opinion on your own pipes first? Dial (365) 363-1575; the person answering holds the wrench.