Basement Flood Prevention for Whitby
Keep water away from the foundation, keep sewage from backing up, and have a pump ready. Small steps add up.
- Step-by-step, written from real jobs
- Tools to have ready and safe stopping points
- Where to stop and hand it to a licensed plumber
- Licensed plumbing trade
- Camera before digging
- Written job notes
- Phone-only booking
Summary card
Keep water away from the foundation, keep sewage from backing up, and have a pump ready. Small steps add up.
Water reaches basements from three directions: from above through poor grading and downspouts, from the ground through foundation walls and floors, and from the sewer through floor drains. Each requires its own defence.
Lead every downspout out across the lawn, a good two metres past the foundation line. Grade soil so it slopes away. Keep window wells clear. Maintain your sump pump and add a backup. Install a backwater valve.
The procedure
- Extend downspouts away from the house
- Keep grading sloped away from walls
- Test your sump pump and add a backup
- Consider a backwater valve
- Store valuables off the basement floor
Tools to have at hand
- Flashlight
- Bucket
- Garden hose
Do it in this order
- 01
Lift-test the sump float in April and again in October
- 02
Extend downspouts so roof water lands several feet out from the wall
- 03
Check that the ground slopes away from the house
- 04
Consider a backwater valve on the main drain
- 05
Keep the floor drain clear and the trap filled
With the flap shut, a surcharged municipal sewer cannot push its water up through your floor drain.
Whitby Plumbing, from the job
Stop and phone a plumber if
- Water appears on the floor during rain
- The floor drain backs up
- The sump pump runs constantly
Notes for Whitby
Check the Region of Durham and Town of Whitby for any current basement flooding protection programs; terms change.
When the desk should take over
Ring the desk if you see water entering, or before finishing a basement.