Flooded basements · sump pump failures
Water in the basement? Let's pump it out and dry it out.
Central Pennsylvania basements flood for a handful of reasons: a sump pump that quit, spring snowmelt, a hard rain on an old stone foundation, or a pipe or water heater that let go. The cleanup starts the same way for all of them.
Safety first: don't walk into a flooded basement if the water could be touching outlets, the furnace, the water heater or the electrical panel. Call the power company or an electrician to cut power if you can't reach the breaker from a dry spot.
Why basements flood around here
The sump pump failed
A sump pump sits in a pit in the basement floor and pumps out groundwater before it rises. When it fails, the basement can fill quickly during a storm. The usual causes:
- The power went out. Storms that bring the rain also knock out power, and a standard pump stops with it.
- The float switch stuck. The float that turns the pump on can jam against the side of the pit.
- The pump wore out. Many pumps last roughly 7 to 10 years, less if they run constantly.
- The discharge line froze or clogged. If the outside line is frozen or crushed, the water has nowhere to go.
- It was simply overwhelmed. In a long, heavy rain, a small pump can't keep up.
A battery backup pump or water-powered backup, and a high-water alarm, are worth asking about once the cleanup is done.
Groundwater through old foundations
Many homes in Huntingdon, Altoona and the surrounding boroughs were built on fieldstone, brick or block foundations. They hold the house up fine, but they were never meant to keep water out. When the ground is saturated in spring, water seeps through the walls and up through cracks in the floor.
Spring snowmelt and heavy storms
A deep snowpack melting over a couple of warm days, plus rain, sends a lot of water toward the foundation at once. Clogged gutters and downspouts that drain right next to the house make it worse.
Plumbing in the basement
Water heaters, washing machines, water softeners and the main water line usually live in the basement, so when they fail, the basement takes the water. See emergency water damage.
Sewer backups
If the water came up through a floor drain and smells like sewage, treat it as contaminated. See our sewage cleanup page.
How a flooded basement gets cleaned up
- Pump out standing water with submersible pumps and extractors.
- Remove soaked materials: carpet and pad, cardboard boxes, the bottom of finished drywall and wet insulation.
- Clean and treat the floor and walls, with antimicrobial treatment where needed.
- Dry and dehumidify. Basements are cool and damp, so commercial dehumidifiers do most of the work. More on our drying page.
- Rebuild finished areas once readings confirm everything is dry. See restoration and rebuild.
Cleanup vs. waterproofing
Getting the water out and drying the basement is restoration. Stopping water from coming through the walls in the next storm, with drain tile, sealing or a new sump system, is waterproofing, which is usually a separate contractor. We'll tell you honestly what we saw and what kind of help you need next.
Before the next storm
Sump pump checklist
- Pour a bucket of water in the pit. The pump should kick on
- Make sure the float moves freely
- Check the outside discharge line isn't frozen or buried
- Keep downspouts draining several feet away
- Consider a battery backup pump
- Add a water alarm near the pit
- Get boxes and valuables up on shelves
- Know where your main water shutoff is
Basement questions
Flooded basement FAQ
How much water is too much to handle myself?
A small puddle on bare concrete from clean water can be wet-vacuumed and dried with a dehumidifier. If water is over about an inch, has reached drywall, carpet or stored belongings, or came from a sewer drain, it's time for professional extraction and drying.
Why does my basement smell musty even after it dried?
Moisture often stays in the bottom of walls, in carpet pad or in the wood framing even after the floor looks dry. That lingering dampness is what smells. Moisture readings will show where it's hiding. Mold may need to be addressed too.
Should I run my own dehumidifier?
Yes. Keeping basement humidity around 50% or lower helps prevent mold and that damp smell year-round. After a flood, though, a household unit is far too small to dry the structure. Commercial units pull many times more water per day.