Owner`s manual

Additional resources:
Your county Extension office, your local
emergency government office, building
inspectors, insurance agents (if you
have appropriate insurance), the Home
Builders Association, the Federal
Emergency Management Agency
Related publications:
UW-Extension publications–
“Removing Ground Water From a
Basement of an Existing Home,”
December 1993;
“Hiring a Contractor After a Natural
Disaster,” December 1993.
“Repairing Your Flooded Home,” the
American Red Cross/Federal
Emergency Management Agency, 1992.
“Retrofitting Flood-Prone Residential
Structures,” Federal Emergency
Management Agency, 1986.
a) Raising or blocking up appliances, furniture and other items that
may be damaged by direct contact with the water for an extended
time;
b) Installing a false floor over the basement slab. This allows water
to drain under the false floor to a drain or sump.
c) Installing a surface drainage system around the perimeter of the
basement floor. This method channels water from the walls to a
drain or sump for removal.
♦ Relieving water pressure against walls and the floor. Some form of
drainage is necessary when cracks occur because of water pressure.
a) If the basement or foundation does not already have drain tile
installed, consider an excavation of the home exterior to allow for
waterproofing of the walls and the installation of washed stone
(gravel) and drain tile. Drain tile can divert water away from the
house if there is a slope, or accommodate a sump pump system as
noted below.
b) Internal drainage is another option if excavation is not possible or
convenient. Washed stone and drain tile are installed around the
interior perimeter of the basement footing. This requires subfloor
installation and trenching.
c) Sump pumps are a necessary part of the internal drainage system
unless the interior tile can be connected to exterior tile that will
drain away from the house. Similarly, sump pumps may be a
necessary part of external drain tile systems if water does not
drain away from the house naturally.
♦ Filling the basement. This option can eliminate the groundwater
problem, but the trade-off is the loss of a full basement. If the
groundwater level in a basement is only 1 or 2 feet, one option is to
pour a new floor in at a higher level, leaving a crawl space in the
basement. The original floor needs to be broken first, so that water
pressure can be relieved. Fill dirt is brought in and the new floor
poured. Drainage under the new floor also is recommended. In more
severe cases, the basement may have to be completely abandoned.
♦ Rebuilding septic systems and wells. If septic systems and wells have
been compromised, the systems should be rebuilt following modern
guidelines for high groundwater areas. There may be added expenses
related to closing or removing portions of existing systems that have
failed.
♦ Raising or relocating the house. This is the most expensive option. It
is the best long-term solution when the building integrity is threatened
and utilities must be shut off. In some cases, it may be the only
reason-able option to avoid property damages and lower property
values.
Information from: University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension
University of Wisconsin-Extension • Cooperative Extension