Local Water Damage Restoration Company Explains Why Basements and Crawl Spaces Flood

8/4/2020 (Permalink)

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Summary: SERVPRO of Carrollton, TX, explains why basement and crawl space flooding can occur and offers tips on how to cope with the stress and frustration of a major water damage incident.

Carrollton is a typical Texas community. The average temperature in August is almost ninety-six degrees, making it one of the hottest places anywhere in the state. The suburban community, located about 20 miles from Dallas, has an overall Comfort Index of 7.1. Carrollton is a great place to live, work, and raise a family.

In some ways, the greater Dallas area is above average when it comes to rainfall. July, August, and September, on average, see a few inches of rain per month. In 2015, an unusually wet year, almost 17 inches of rain fell in September, driving the annual total to 62.6 inches or nearly twice the annual average rainfall for the area. The greater Dallas-Fort Worth area can see spikes of up to five inches or more in one day. A meandering squall can settle over a community such as Carrollton and dump inches of rain in just a few hours. Life is best structured around the averages. Plans must account for the worst of times, such as this scenario illustrates.

Scenario

During the 2015 spike in rainfall, the most annual rainfall in the area since 1899, roofs that had never leaked sprung leaks. Crawl spaces that had been dry since the houses had been constructed were now riddled with mold and mildew. Basements and crawl spaces that had never flooded turned into indoor swimming pools. Homeowners throughout the area were forced to take measures to mitigate the water damage.

The family had lived in their home for 32 years, raised their children there, and now entertained grandkids in the backyard playground and in the spacious basement on rainy or cold days. The intense rains of 2015, over sixty inches, revealed leaks in the roof and basement. The roof needed replacing anyway. The basement was a much larger ordeal involving a French drain, a sump pump, and some interior work in the basement. Mike and Barbara weathered the disruptive renovations well but were glad when the construction finally concluded. In September of 2018, it rained a whopping 12.7 inches, followed in October with 15.7 inches. To their amazement, the new roof and repaired basement were leak-free. The couple thought that any home that could withstand that deluge could withstand anything nature could bring its way.

One afternoon, a thunderstorm rolled over the neighborhood and stalled, dropping endless buckets of water on the community. Thousands of homeowners and businesses were without power for several hours. Mike and Barbara thought nothing of it and prepared for the cookout that evening. Their gas grill trumped the electrical outage. When the grandkids arrived, they descended into the basement for fun and games until supper was ready. A shriek from the basement caught the adults off guard.

“We love the pond in the basement!” chirped the grandkids. Mike was not so happy. Water in the basement can pose an electrical hazard that can cause serious injury or worse. Thankfully, in 2015, he had his electrician install GFCI receptacles throughout the basement.

The 1500 square foot basement contained a foot or more of water, or more than 11,000 gallons. The basement had to be pumped of its murky contents, dried, dehumidified, and eventually treated for mold and mildew. The carpet, hardwood flooring, furniture, baseboards, and walls needed immediate attention. Believing that the basement was waterproof, the couple had stored furniture, keepsakes, and heirlooms in the basement. The unexpected flood was a disaster too large for any homeowner to manage alone. Mike turned to the water damage restoration professionals who had assisted the family years earlier. The team was onsite within the hour. An inspection and assessment turned up no water sources from inside the basement. The water came from outside the basement foundation.

Mike responded to the assessment with astonishment. He asked, “How could the water be from outside the basement? It recently rained 27 inches in two months, and the basement was dry as a bone!” The answer was simple — during the power outage, the electric sump pump was not functioning. The basement flooded. Now, it was time to clean up the mess, restore the damaged areas, and pursue alternate strategies to prevent any more basement floods.

The takeaway from the case study of the flooded basement: Do not panic

Water damage is understandably stressful, especially if the water damages furniture, soaks family heirlooms, destroys expensive inventory, or requires the property to be evacuated. The highly trained, experienced professionals at SERVPRO of Carrollton respond to water damage emergencies every day. The team is onsite within an hour, ready to begin the restoration process. Knowing that competent, caring technicians are hard at work eases the stress and anxiety the homeowner may feel. Skilled restoration technicians do a thorough job in a timely fashion, so people do not have to worry.

Each crisis is unique and carries its own safety hazards. Immediate response from a water damage specialist is crucial since much of the damage occurs in the first few hours of the incident. Having a trained professional with the best equipment on the scene as soon as possible is always a best-case scenario in a worst-case situation.

For more information about water damage restoration services in Carrollton, Texas, visit the SERVPRO of Carrollton website at https://www.SERVPROcarrolltontx.com. Contact the office by phone at (972) 446-0383.