Basement Flooding After Colorado Storms

The usual entry points are window wells that fill with water and leak around the window, downspouts that empty against the foundation, soil that slopes toward the house, and cracks in foundation walls. Hail can clog gutters with ice and leaves, sending water over the edge right where you do not want it.

A window well is a small pit around a basement window. If its drain is clogged or it has no drain, it fills like a bucket in a hard rain. Clear leaves and debris, check that the drain works and consider a clear cover that keeps rain out but lets light in.

Clean gutters after hail and before summer. Make sure downspouts extend several feet away from the foundation and empty onto ground that slopes away from the house.

Soil around the foundation should slope away from the house. Over time, settling and landscaping can reverse the slope. Douglas County has areas of expansive clay soil that swell when wet, which is another reason to keep water away from the foundation.

Many Castle Rock homes have a sump pit that collects water from drains around the foundation. Test the pump each spring, keep the discharge line clear and consider a battery backup for storms that knock out power.

Stop the entry if you can, move belongings up, take photos and call. See basement flood cleanup. Remember that outside water is usually considered flood for insurance; see FloodSmart (NFIP).

Colorado's Front Range has a long hail season, often from late spring through summer. Hail can shred gutter screens, dent downspouts and pile up in window wells, where it melts and floods the well. After a hailstorm, clear ice and debris from wells and gutters once it is safe.

Deep spring snow melting quickly can saturate soil next to the foundation, especially on the shady side of the house. Shovel snow away from window wells and the foundation when you can.

Storms that knock out power also stop sump pumps. A battery backup or water-powered backup pump keeps the pit from overflowing until power returns.

Water from outside is usually flood, sump overflow often needs an endorsement, and a burst pipe is usually covered. See FloodSmart (NFIP) for flood options.

If water is spreading across a finished basement, call right away. The faster water is removed, the more carpet and drywall can be saved.

Small cracks in basement walls are common as homes settle and soils swell and shrink. If water comes through a crack after storms, a foundation contractor can seal it. Keeping water away from the foundation on the outside is still the first fix.

If storm water gets in: stop it if you can, move belongings, photograph, extract and dry. See basement flood cleanup for how the work is done.

Clear polycarbonate covers keep rain, hail and snow out of window wells while letting light in. Make sure any cover on a bedroom egress window can be opened easily from inside, so it does not block a way out in a fire.

Simple extensions or splash blocks that carry roof water several feet from the foundation are one of the cheapest ways to keep a basement dry. Check that they are still in place after mowing and snow removal.

The sump pump's discharge pipe should carry water well away from the house, not dump it next to the foundation where it soaks back in. In winter, make sure the outlet does not freeze shut.

Storm water that comes through a window or the ground can carry soil and contaminants, so it is often treated as more contaminated than water from a supply line. Ask the provider which category applies before deciding what can be saved.

Where soil slopes toward the house, adding compacted soil to create a gentle slope away from the walls, at least for the first several feet, sends surface water away. Keep the soil a few inches below siding and keep landscape edging from trapping water.

In May, clean gutters, check downspout extensions, clear window wells and test the sump pump. After each big storm, walk the basement and look at window wells. Small checks prevent big cleanups.

Questions about basement flooding after colorado storms? Call (720) 731-0398 to reach a local Castle Rock provider, 24 hours a day.