Here comes the rain

November 14, 2009 7:10 PM

My basement is currently flooding. Anything I can do before it stops raining?

In Westbrook, Maine. Heavy rains. Water is coming through holes in the foundation. There's a drain... it was draining but no more... I think the storm drains may be full. No sump pump. Unfinished basement. Furnace and tank in basement on some blocks. Any suggestions other than wait it out and assess the wreckage tomorrow? I was bailing the puddle above the drain and I put a tray under the most obvious/fast hole, but there's no way I can keep up with it all night. Thanks!

posted by selfnoise to home & garden (13 comments total)

Well, other people may be in the same situation you are so I might line up some places to call FIRST thing tomorrow to try to find a sump pump so you aren't left with out one. You don't seem to have a 24 hour walmart near by so it doesnt seem like an option to get one tonight...although before it gets too late you could call friends or family to see if you could borrow one.

Good luck.
posted by beccaj at 7:18 PM on November 14, 2009 [1 favorite]

Call your gas and electric companies to see if you should shut those things off. Don't touch anything electrical if your feet are in water.
posted by LobsterMitten at 7:22 PM on November 14, 2009

You could go get a pump and run that outside, but it's only a band-aid at best, and a pretty expensive one at that. Besides that, all you can do is wait until the drain works again. I'd be putting in a sump pump pronto.
posted by sanka at 7:40 PM on November 14, 2009

do you have, or know someone with a wet/dry shopvac to try and get as much out of there as possible before you go to sleep?

(be smart with electrical devices near water!)
posted by Bohemia Mountain at 8:06 PM on November 14, 2009

Thanks for all the advice so far. Unfortunately the guy I know who probably has a sump pump AND shop vac is half a state away.

Currently the water inflow appears to have stabilized EXCEPT at the active hole, and water has pooled above the drain away from electricalness. Maybe I should just resign myself to bailing this hole for a while and see what develops.
posted by selfnoise at 8:12 PM on November 14, 2009

Sandbagging the hole from the outside might help. I stopped a neighbour's basement from flooding by shoring up their stairwell with garbage bags filled with wet towels (I wet the towels to make them heavy so they wouldn't float, and the garbage bags were to keep them compressed).

Any chance the drain is clogged? Can you get into it with a coat hanger?
posted by twistofrhyme at 11:28 PM on November 14, 2009

If possible, find the source of the water and divert it. What's uphill from your house? If there's a road drain nearby that's plugged with leaves (matted on top of the grate), unplug it. If water is coming down the road and into your driveway and yard, sandbag the curb.

Seconding that it's likely your drain is clogged. Dig it out if you can (if you can safely do so - don't get electrocuted over this).

Also, check your gutters and make sure that they are sending the water well away from your house. If any of them are dumping next to the foundation, extend the gutters away from the house (PVC pipe will do). Also make sure your gutters aren't clogged with leaves. That will also let water come down next to your foundation.
posted by zippy at 12:37 AM on November 15, 2009

According to the Wal-Mart website, the Wal-Mart in Windham is open 24 hrs. They should have wet/dry shop vacs, tarps, shovels, etc. Who knows, let us know how it goes. Go all MacGyver on this!

Wal-Mart Supercenter
30 Landing Road
Windham, ME 04062
[phone]
posted by zippy at 12:48 AM on November 15, 2009

Since it's now tomorrow, I'll chime in with some day after advice. If the water is high and standing in the basement, you may be able to get the fire dept to pump it out for you. Our local Volunteer fire dept did that when the water rose high enough that it took out the furnace. Additionally, if the furnace did get wet, do NOT turn it back on. There is a red reset button, but make sure a professional has checked it first and that it is totally dry before it is reset. Our oil company took care of that for us.
posted by saffry at 6:02 AM on November 15, 2009

The situation appears to have stabilized. No real quantity of water still coming in. I think I can clean up the rest of the water today assuming it doesn't start down the drain when the water table recedes. Then I think I need to examine the drainage situation around the foundation and perhaps find a sealant for the water entry points. First I might fall asleep, though. :)

Thanks for the advice everyone. Let me know if you have any additional suggestions.
posted by selfnoise at 6:38 AM on November 15, 2009

If it's still a problem, call the Fire Department. They have pumps, and may be able to help you out of a jam. There were flood warnings all over So. Maine last night, esp. the Presumpscot River. Having a pump is probably a good idea; they make pumps that will sit on a flat surface, and you run the exit hose out the window. Also, make sure you have flood insurance if you're in a flood zone; flooding can cause serious damage, and is usually not covered by standard homeowner's ins.
posted by theora55 at 7:18 AM on November 15, 2009

I bought a plug in pump that connects to a garden hose at Home Depot that helped me out once. It runs constantly so it would need to be in standing water but it worked pretty well.
posted by any major dude at 9:09 AM on November 15, 2009

Update... got a reasonably cheap pump at Lowe's and pumped the pond out the window. Also set up a dehumidifier to help the current situation further and got some drylok cement and sealant for when it gets a bit drier. That should buy me some time to contemplate gutters, a sump pump, landscaping, or some combination thereof. Thanks again!
posted by selfnoise at 2:19 PM on November 15, 2009