Basement water

[watcher]

It doesn't matter if your house can float like a boat, you still need to remove the water - caveat, please - IF that's an issue.
Additionally, attaching to an interior sump is only one solution, yet the most common and cost-effective.  There are properties which never have sewer backups, yet seem to have a propensity for surface flooding due to myriad reasons

In general I agree, though.  I'd rather not have to use any perimeter drainage system, and if needed would prefer exterior weeping tile as in the picture.  There are cases, particularly in full basements (not our 3ft bungalow "basements"), where interior drain systems are preferable in terms of price, maintenance access (weeping tile can clog over the years), or foundation style.  The various foundation "wraps" can be a band-aid for some, and a combination of methods are necessary short of demolition/rebuild.

I would make the caveat that the sales rep hawking his company's "solution" might not be the best answer for every foundation/water issue.
That knowing and understanding the uniqueness of how YOUR house was put together, how it relates to the houses on either side and to the city infrastructure is basic knowledge each homeowner can/should learn. It's science, not magic, that keeps things working the way they should. The sales pitches are just that and all the bragging by people who spent 10 Grand on on overhead sewer system or 5 grand on a front yard vault doesn't impress rainwater and/or sewage at all.

After last summer's flooding and the non-comprehensive, individual "solutions" that were implemented, This summer will expose new challenges. We can anticipate similar rain events, so if you didn't flood last year, your odds of getting hit this year are increased by those who think they have "solved" their own property's problems. The water will go somewhere. That's the only sure thing.

I posted the following on the FoPa forums:

10 Simple rules to coexist with older house's plumbing systems.
(from 30+ years of dealing with FoPa sewers)

1. Have your main sewer line COMPLETELY checked and rodded out.
Annually is best until you've completed steps 2-10.
2. Once your main line is clear, treat the line with Copper Sulfate
to discourage new root growth.
3. Do NOT use powdered detergents for laundry or dishwasher. The undissolved powder WILL accumlate and harden on roots.
4. Switch to basic toilet paper, single ply.
5. Even if a product advertises itself as "Flushable" DON'T flush it!
Maybe with modern plastic sewer pipes, it will travel easily, but not through old clay piping.
6. Disconnect your downspouts from the sewer system and cover/plug the holes.
7. Make sure the perimeter around your foundation is graded (sloped) AWAY from the building.
8. Seal the foundation/grade joint with roofing cement if the area is hardscaped (concrete, brick, blacktop)
9. Install one-way valves or standpipes in basement floor drains.
10. Build and maintain a shrine to Saint Florian

[Crunchie]

11. Route all of your gutters, waste water and drains into 5 gallon jugs and the Culligan man pick them up.

This is the only foolproof method of avoiding flooding.

[Bonster]

The sales pitches are just that and all the bragging by people who spent 10 Grand on on overhead sewer system or 5 grand on a front yard vault doesn't impress rainwater and/or sewage at all.

After last summer's flooding and the non-comprehensive, individual "solutions" that were implemented, This summer will expose new challenges.

+1

Sewer backups and seepage/sump related flooding are entirely different problems with radically different solutions.  Most of our recent discussions re: valves/overhead sewers relate to MWRD challenges, but every single property's problems are unique and must be addressed as such.  "Permaseal" encapsulation solutions would do nothing for MWRD-related issues, and a house built in a reclamation pond would see little benefit from an overhead sewer... . . .  .  .  .   .   .  .    .    .    .

[dukesdad]

here we go again. About 6" overnight. I didn't even hear the rain.

[exPROPer]

Yup, here we go again. 

Lights out at Ridgeland and Ogden.

[Robert Pauly]

Wet down here.

[LetsGoThrow]

4 inches of water in the basement here - 2 blocks east of Proksa.

[Ted]

 My basement is dry but the pumps have been doing a lot of work.

The alleys have a lot of standing water in them and, as exProper said, the lights are out at Ridgeland and Ogden.

 The water seems to have come in in the last 4 hours.  The pumps were pretty quiet last night but started a lot of work at around 5 AM.

[Bonster]

Vic0128 from BTF is dry; she used to flood all the time, even on "normal" storms, but she had some work done and has been dry for the last 2 years in South Berwyn, right by the tracks.  Her problems may (have been) different.. lots of yard flooding (unsure about the sewers), but she may still be a good resource for others.

[Homebody]

We woke up to some sewage and water residue in the basement. This is the one year anniversary of last year's July flood. Once again, residents living in the area just east of Proksa Park are reporting flooded basements.

I am collecting the names of 3rd Ward residents who had flooded basements last night/this morning. Larry, Frank, Matt and Bob, I have you on the list already.

For 3rd Ward residents only: Please call me at (708) 788-3361 or e-mail me at marge3rdward@sbcglobal.net to report flooded basements, streets and alleys. I will be cleaning my basement and then heading out to the neighborhood. Please provide your name, address, telephone number and the approximate amount of water you think you had. (My basement had already drained by the time I woke up this morning.) I'll be taking messages only today and will try to kep the voice mailbox empty to accept your calls.

Sorry to hear that so many friends are once again bailing out.
Marge Paul, 3rd Ward Alderman

[buzz]

We got power back at 6:15 p.pm.  YES POWER !!!  It went out around 3 a.m. on the 3400 block of East, and 3 solitary homes on Clarence,  Midas gave up and closed and I was told the ATT (?) store on Ogden & Clarence closed too.
I got water up through the stand pipe, maybe 8ft. diameter shallow puddle, but no real damage.  Not high.
Neighbors on both sides got way more than I did.

[MRS. NORTHSIDER]

We had some seepage but I will consider myself myself lucky considering some of the previous posts.  Our basement is unfinished with anything down there (very little) on a shelf or table with the washer, dryer and furnace areas all on elevated concrete slabs that lift them up.  We should have noticed those red flags when we bought.  Oh well, the way things are now we can go down there with a hose and bottle of bleach and be down with any cleanup fairly quickly.  I just consider it part of Berwyn life.

[berwynson]

  I just consider it part of Berwyn life......

Mrs., I am of the opinion that if much of "old Berwyn" is the same as when I grew up there, that is, combined sewer system, the original line buried under the residential street carrying away both sewage AND storm run-off, then little will today be different regarding basement flooding, except perhaps a bit greater tendency for foundation and basement floor leakage due to additional aging.

We heard stories of bungalows (occasionally) having had concrete floors buckled upward as a result of the water pressure beneath them. Our "catch basin" was adjacent to the back porch at 1805 Harvey, with a simple iron lid I had learned early the ability of which to lift and raise (a wonder I did not fall in!); however, later in life, I investigated looking for clues to the flooding.

Once, during and after a heavy prolonged downpour, I opened that pit, and realizing the water level in it was not far from the top, this meant the water in the "standpipes" in the basement had to be also at that same level, as the floor drains routed to the catch basin. Obviously, then, the level in the street sewer line was "plum-full", and "backing up", as my Dad put it.

So, we lived with it. Nothing damageable by water was left on the basement floor. Except sometimes unintentionally!   berwynson

[Robert Pauly]

I think that everyone got whacked on my block - west side of Proksa.  In our case - after 10 years without a drop - we've experience water damage from three storms - something's changed - whether the Water Reclamation District or the world in which we live (our climate is getting kind of scary).

Our four month new carpet was 80% soaked - we ripped it up causing plenty of snags, threw out the padding and Pine Soled it with a weed sprayer.  Gonna let it marinate overnight - dry it out tomorrow when we'll assess whether to trash the carpet, too.

I'm looking for ideas for our basement floor - it is totally unlevel - high on the sides and corners, sloping beautifully towards three drains in the middle.  The support posts are resting on 18" mounds of concrete, causing 6 other architectural items of interest.  For this reason, we can't use tile - none of the grout lines would be straight - carpet was perfect until the era of flooding - I'd love to paint, but the concrete is pretty banged up - patched here and there with a concrete patch and some sort of rubbery patch - I wonder if there's someone who could do a sanding number like you'd do on a hardwood floor - sand and patch and sand again.  I'd then have a smooth surface that I could wax or paint - put down some throw rugs - and not need to be tranquilized everytime the heavens open.

So I'm now up here with the wife and kids - if my basement doesn't dry soon, I'll probably be taking up residence in the garage.

[pkd50]

I'm so sorry for all of you that flooded.  I lived in two homes in Berwyn for over 30 years, and I've never heard these kind of stories.  I hope "my" homes in the 3400 block of Wisconsin and 3200 block of Clarence are dry tonight.

[MRS. NORTHSIDER]

I'm pretty sure our basement floor was poured at some time after the house was built and whomever did it was most likely drunk or stupid.l  There was probably just dirt down there when the house was built 104 years.  There is concrete down there now but uneven in way too many spots.  We have to go down and sweep the water down towards the drain in many areas if we get seepage.  I don't consider my basement finishable and am glad I have a large enough home to accomodate everyone without it.  My advice is to either spend a ton of money for waterproofing, standpipes or a valve to close the sewers to your home or empty it out and get ready to hose it out every once and awhile.

[buzz]

4 inches of water in the basement here - 2 blocks east of Proksa.

The Ch9 News just listed Berwyn as having 3.36 in. of total rainfall.  That simply cannot be accurate.

[Robert Pauly]

As with last year's flooding, I still don't believe they're acts of God.

[berwynguy]

As with last year's flooding, I still don't believe they're acts of God.

They're not, they can't be.  Three floods in 13 months from years and even decades without any by some accounts?  Bullshit.  I want to know what the fuck is going on.

[Robert Pauly]

How many of you got flooded in this - the second biggest rainstorm in history:

"Chicago and its suburbs experienced a record heavy 24-hour rainstorm on September 13, 2008. Rainfall reaching 16.9 cm, exceeding recurrence interval values of once in 50 years, occurred over 485 square kilometers. This flash flood quickly created massive flooding that stopped surface transportation, caused evacuation of 10,000 homes, and led to property damages totaling $155 million. The city was aware of the approaching storm and acted to remove waters stored in the city's deep tunnel storm water reservoir system. The emptied tunnel waters plus early stormwater totaling 49 Mm3 were released into the Illinois River. However, the management system could not handle the extreme volume of storm water, and as urban flooding developed, managers chose to release 341 Mm3 into Lake Michigan, creating water supply problems from the polluted storm water. The impacts from the urban flooding included all forms of transportation, thousands of flooded homes and businesses, and 10,000 homes had to be evacuated. This storm and the management actions employed illustrate the sizable difficulties large cities face in handling waters from major rainstorms."