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roo1oo · Mar 5, 2008, 10:23 AM

Hi! I have a problem with my basement. It floods after extended and heavy rain maybe twice a year. The water comes in from a below ground basement window. The water actually pools in the window well and comes in around the seal of the window. Obviously the first thing to do would be replace the window and seal, but I would also like to eliminate the issue of the water getting into the window well in the first place. I got a well cover which helped a lot, but I've still had some water make it in after extremely heavy rains. I do have a sump pump and well but I've never heard the thing kick on so the issue doesn't seem to be groudwater rising up from below. The thing is, I really want to finish this basement but there is no way I can do that if it might flood at all.

Now I know the exterior grading is a big portion of the issue as well as the gutter setup. I live in a center unit townhouse and my backyard is a hill that slopes down to the house, so my backyard is often soggy and water frequently pools in the yard. I've investigated an exterior drain system but all of those pertain to a house where you can channel the water around the corner, which I can't do by being in a center unit townhouse.

The gutter setup is also the other issue. Of the 7 townhouse in my row, there are 3 downspouts total. One on each end unit and one right into my backyard. Which means a lot of the roof water is draining right into my backyard. The only way I can fix this is detaching my gutters from everyone else's, which might cause neighbor problems and the HOA probably won't like either.

So you can sort of see what the backyard setup is like, a picture is attached. I'm standing on the hill. The window well is behind the AC unit.

So ideally, I'd like some kind of exterior drain setup, so how do I go about diverting the water around the house? Any help or suggestions would be appreciated!

ballengerb1 · Mar 5, 2008, 01:45 PM

Looks like everything pitches toward the fence but I can't tell if the pitch continues on the otherside or does it stop. You can add a small sump pump inside your window well and try to pump over the hill. One real issue I can't help with is how the HOA will look at the problem. They may not allow you do pump that water anywhere and I don't know if your HOA has common properties or greenways. You might be wise to talk to them about the problem.

amricca · Mar 5, 2008, 03:24 PM

If there is a perimeter drain under the areawell at the foundation, you could try to dig out the existing soil and add gravel so that it drains down rather than fill up with water. Extending that downspout further away from the house might help too. I agree with ballenger though, you should take to your HOA.

the1unv · Mar 5, 2008, 07:34 PM

I would first extend the down spout to the edge of your deck and cover it with a wider step. Second I would dig out the window well as deep as you can, then fill with pea rock to around 6"- 8" below the window. Save any dirt you get while digging and feather it along the house to get a little better drainage. The HOA should not have an issue with either of those changes but I would contact them because I am sure they have dealt with similar issues and may have a solution for you.
Mike

hkstroud · Mar 5, 2008, 08:01 PM

You say you have a sump pump but it never comes on. Where is that pump. Some how I ge the impression that it is in the basement floor.

You say that you have installed a window well cover and that it helped some. Yet you still get rising water. I would agree that it is not groundwater in the true sense but it is rain water that has soaked into the ground and is making its way in between the window well and the house and is being forced back up from beneath the window well by what I believe is called hydrostatic pressure.

As far as the gutter situation I would not begin to say what level of control the HOA has. If the HOA exercises control to the extent that prevents you taking corrective action, then the responsibility for correction is theirs. Surly you can not be expected to let you house flood for the benefit of you neighbors.

Piping the downspout between or underneath the deck, to carry water away from the house would be the single most helpful thing you could do.

The fence appears to be right on if not in the ground, it also appears to be your's. Raising the bottom of the fence to allow the free passage of water would be a big help with respect to you yard being wet.

Installation of a sump pump in the window well will probably solve you problem. You would not be putting any more water on you neighbor than would ordinarily be there.

There is no way that you will seal the window such that it is water proof. That is, unless you brick it up.

Assuming that the downspout belongs to your neighbor, with permission piping it between or underneath the deck away from the house would would be the single most helpful thing you can do.

roo1oo · Mar 6, 2008, 09:45 AM

Originally Posted by hkstroud

You say you have a sump pump but it never comes on. Where is that pump. Some how I ge the impression that it is in the basement floor.

Yes it is in the basement floor. My husband said last night he's heard it come on a few times, so it must be doing some of its job. It does work, we did test it after the first flooding. The sump pump also drains to the backyard, right under the deck. Would it also be helpful to extend that drain as far away from the house as possible? My husband actually thought it might be worth piping the sump drain to the front of the house, where the grade slopes away from the house. That way we aren't returning the water to the problem area.

Piping the downspout between or underneath the deck, to carry water away from the house would be the single most helpful thing you could do.Assuming that the downspout belongs to your neighbor, with permission piping it between or underneath the deck away from the house would would be the single most helpful thing you can do.

I believe it is already piped under the deck, however it is possible the pipe is clogged or not properly graded. It belongs to us so we can do with it as we please. So we will certainly fix this this spring.

The fence appears to be right on if not in the ground, it also appears to be your's. Raising the bottom of the fence to allow the free passage of water would be a big help with respect to you yard being wet.

It is not ours, but it is right on the ground. I can certainly talk to that neighbor about raising the fence slightly, or we can simply dig a bit out on our side.

There is no way that you will seal the window such that it is water proof. That is, unless you brick it up.

Good to know that we shouldn't waste our money there. I think a previous suggestion of digging out the well and filling with pea gravel may help that water drain better, but also keeping the water from getting in there in the first place would be best.

KISS · Mar 6, 2008, 10:00 AM

I have the same sort of window well problem with a soggy back yard because a non-hospitable neighbor diverted water to our property via a tent (garage) and raised flower bed. He can correct it with proper landscaping. I have pictures during a failure, but haven't had the time to contact the county to inspect.

The failure may only occur once or twice a year. A 12 volt boat bilge pump sits in the well, but wiring has no permanent wiring. The discharge is a garden hose out the front of the house. Why a 12 V bilge pump. Had one when the other sump pump failed and no store had a replacement. Stone didn't fix it, sandbags helped a little and a new window won't help either unless made for a submarine. The sump pump does fix the problem, but sump pumps depend on power.

It is illegal for a neighbor to intentionally drain water on your property.

We have issues with standing water, but only with very heavy rains. One is a gutter issue, ours. The other may well be the neighbor.

roo1oo · Mar 6, 2008, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by KeepItSimpleStupid

It is illegal for a neighbor to intentionally drain water on your property.

I had tried to research the legality of several neighboring townhouses all draining to our property, but wasn't able to find any info online. I know our townhouse was built like this. In most townhouse communities I've seen each unit has its own gutter system. I'm sure each of my neighbors acquiring their own gutter system would fix the issue, but I am not sure how to go about getting this started. I need to visit the HOA soon to drop off a fees check, I will have to ask them about this.

hkstroud · Mar 6, 2008, 01:20 PM

Just like to reiterate that putting a sump pump in the window well itself is also possible and should keep the water from reaching the level where it can come in around the window.

ballengerb1 · Mar 6, 2008, 01:34 PM

I agree, I mentioned that early on. In my area the window wells are connected to the curtain drain and go to the sump pump via 4"corrugated hose.

katehudson · Jul 1, 2011, 10:27 AM

<a href="http://www.waterdamagelocal.com/p/basement_flooding.aspx">Basement Flooding</a>

To clean a <a href="http://www.waterdamagelocal.com/p/basement_flooding.aspx">Basement Flooding</a>, you'll need
to determine where the water is coming from and either plug it or shut it off, or do whatever it takes to stop it.
Cleaning up will do little good if more comes in to replace it.

katehudson · Jul 1, 2011, 10:28 AM

<a href="http://www.waterdamagelocal.com/p/basement_flooding.aspx">Basement Flooding</a>

To clean a <a href="http://www.waterdamagelocal.com/p/basement_flooding.aspx">Basement Flooding</a>, you'll need
to determine where the water is coming from and either plug it or shut it off, or do whatever it takes to stop it.
Cleaning up will do little good if more comes in to replace it.

katehudson · Jul 1, 2011, 10:28 AM

<a href="http://www.waterdamagelocal.com/p/basement_flooding.aspx">Basement Flooding</a>

To clean a <a href="http://www.waterdamagelocal.com/p/basement_flooding.aspx">Basement Flooding</a>, you'll need
to determine where the water is coming from and either plug it or shut it off, or do whatever it takes to stop it.
Cleaning up will do little good if more comes in to replace it.

hkstroud · Jul 1, 2011, 05:12 PM

katehudson

Want to tell what you are trying to say about this 3 year old post.

Burkzzy · Aug 14, 2011, 01:44 PM

We are in the very same predicament. I put a sump pump in the well itself. It sits there all year plugged in. Water comes in from the sides, not from the sky. I have a call into the association as today was a near disaster. Thankfully we did not lose power or the pump wiuldve been mute...