Why is My Basement Leaking? Two Common Reasons and Solutions

Although we don’t have basements here in Texas, we always had them in New Jersey and in Connecticut when I was younger. One of the main issues my parents always had was with the basement leaking, which would happen every winter and sometimes during the spring. After consulting with a plumber, we learned that there are two common reasons for leaking basements, and their solutions are surprisingly simple.

Most of the time, when your basement is leaking, it is caused by some form of drainage problem outside the home, and not with anything underneath or inside the basement itself. Because older basements are often shoddily constructed and rife with thin walls and multiple cracks, poor drainage outside can easily penetrate floors and walls, causing water damage and annoying leaks.

In most cases, this means your basement is leaking because the soil surrounding your foundation and the walls of your basement has become overly saturated. This often occurs after a long rainy season, particularly if it was preceded by a drought. You won’t notice the leaks as much when the weather is dry, but soil packed deep into the ground can take months to dry up.

The first reason your basement is leaking might have to do with your gutter system. Because old and poorly installed gutters tend to promote pooling water, you’ll find a build-up of standing water around the foundation of your home. With nowhere else to go, the water will leak into your basement, eventually penetrating the walls and causing serious damage.

To fix a leaking basement caused by gutters, you probably need to replace them. If possible, make sure that spouts send water at least four feet away from your foundation, and don’t use heavy steel gutters that can promote clogging. Before rainy seasons begin, clean out all your gutters and make sure no mud or leaves might clog the flow of water. This should stop much of the pooling action that is causing your basement to leak.

It is also a good idea to give the water a direction, which leads me to the second reason your basement might be leaking. If water doesn’t have a direction in which to flow, it will again settle against the foundation of your home and find its way into the lowest chamber: the basement. To solve this, you need to make sure that there is at least a small grade of slope from your house to the street, allowing for smooth water flow.

To do this, you’ll need to use compact fill direct to raise the ground level next to the foundation. You can cover it with top soil or mulch, but don’t use top soil for the entire project. Unfortunately, top soil is meant to retain water, which won’t fix a leaking basement.

You can increase the chances of stopping leaks in your basement by decreasing the amount of water that comes near your house. To do this, you can install PVC drain pipes from your gutters to the ground next to your foundation, then joint it with another PVC pipe that flows underground to the street. You’ll have to check with your homeowners’ association and local building codes to find out if you need a permit to do this.

If your basement is still leaking after you’ve completed these tasks, you might want to call a plumber. The reason for the leaks might be in your interior plumbing rather than from an outside source.