How to Avoid Flooding

deborahp7 asks,

We have been flooded 3 times in 7 years, i have a sump pump and 6 drains. is there anything else i can do to stop this it is a pain and i do not want to move. our driveway slopes down to the hose instead of up and we are in the middle of the street but our house is the lowest. thanks. we have a creek behind us. we are thinking of raising the driveway or adding flood barriers or a second sump pump. any ideas?thanks in advance… we are nervous about hurricane irene

Our Answer

I’m guessing from your question that the flood occurs whenever there is heavy, heavy rain. If this is the case, the solution isn’t just pumps, it is water management. You need to do everything possible to keep water away from your home’s foundation area.

I have several suggestions but they all fall into that category. First, read my story on how to waterproof a basement. Specifically, everything that you can do to control roof water is key. It has to be trapped and piped well away from your home. Considering that you have a stream behind it, I’d make sure to run that water through solid PVC piping and discharge it into the stream.

As for the water running down to your yard from adjoining property or the driveway, you’ll need a series of curtain drains to collect that water and run it around the yard and again into the stream.

Together, these improvement will manage the water and keep it away from your home, reducing or completely eliminating the flooding.