Basement flooding

[dyork]

My mom has a problem with her basement flooding. My dad when he was alive, built this house 56 years ago. He built a drain system that comes along the back wall in the basement and comes out at the back of the house. The drain is just in a concrete like step-up. But now her basement is flooding when it rains real hard for two or more days. We all say to make all of her downspouts go away from the house and that may fix the problem. Thinking that something is blocking the path of the water when it rains real hard. My dad was a very good mason and I guess he did that, because he could. I really don't know. Any suggestions on what else is making it flood? Or do you think just changing all the downspouts away from the house will help? I hope I've described it well enough. I'll try to answer any questions that you may have!

Donna

[avid_hiker]

For this drain explained, can you see the other side of this pipe where it exits to see if any water is actually getting through? Is it outside that this pipe is draining, or is it draining into a city sewer system?

Is this a concrete basement? or stone / dirt floor?

It is possible I would imagine that there is something stuck in this drain, such as maybe dead mice, blocked with dirt, or even the exit itself blocked up with such as snow or ice.

Has this just started flooding, or has it been going on for years?

Dean

[Banty]

One likely possibility is that it's silted up after all these years.

After the debug you mention has eliminated some straighforward problem (like an exit plug), since this is (from what I understand) concrete-encased, probably some new system will need to go in. Maybe an excavation is in order.

Banty

[avid_hiker]

I would like to add.......and ask.........

Does this house have a sump pump? If so, it may need replacing. If you do not know what this pump is, it is usually located within a hole or sump hole in the floor, dug down maybe a few feet. The pipe you mention must go to where this pump/if present, is located.