Water in a basement in Milwaukee, or coming through the floor?

What does a sewer backup do to a basement?

It rises through a floor drain or a fixture, and it leaves a contaminated loss on the lowest floor.

A sewer backup comes up through the lowest drain in the house, usually when the sewer line is full during a storm. It spreads across the basement floor, soaks into carpet and pad and climbs the lower drywall in a clean line. The water carries waste, so it is removed and cleaned with more care than clean water.

Once the water has gone, the basement still holds the contamination in its porous materials. The removal list, the disinfection and the drying are written in the same order each time, so the homeowner can see every step.

• A water line on the drywall at the height the water stood
• Carpet and pad that has to come out
• Stored boxes and shelving that held the water
• A floor drain that has to be checked before use
• Furnace and water heater bases that need a look

What does a flash flood do to a lower level?

It fills the lowest rooms quickly through window wells, door sills and the wall joints.

A flash flood can add water to a basement faster than a pump can remove it. Up to 7.5 inches of rain fell in two hours in Milwaukee on July 22, 2010, according to the National Weather Service, and the lower levels filled from several places at once.

After the water is out, the crew reads the subfloor and the wall base at each entry point. The window wells, the sill and the joints are recorded so that the repair can start from the right place.

• Water through a window well and the frame
• Water under an outside door sill
• Water through a joint in the foundation wall
• Water rising from a floor drain under pressure
• Debris and silt left at the lowest point

What happens when a sump stops in a storm?

Water comes back through the floor in the lowest corner, and the cause is written down before anything is moved.

A sump pump that stops, whether from a stuck float, a cut power supply or a blocked discharge, lets water rise through the floor. The first wet area is usually the corner by the pit, and that corner is often the most damaged.

The crew records the state of the pit, the float and the discharge before it clears them. It then hands a written note to the plumber who repairs or replaces the pump.

• A float caught against the pit wall
• A discharge line blocked or frozen
• A power loss during the storm
• A check valve that stuck
• A battery backup that was not fitted

What does a cold night do to a supply line?

A line in an outside wall can split and run unseen for hours, so the readings find it rather than the stain.

A supply line that freezes in an outside wall can split when the water thaws and runs. The leak may stay inside the wall for hours, and the first sign can be a stain on a ceiling or a damp patch on the floor near the outside wall.

The crew reads the wall at several heights, finds the highest reading and opens the wall only there. The shut-off is recorded and the plumber receives the location.

• A damp patch near an outside wall
• A ceiling stain after the house warms
• A tap that gives little water after a cold night
• A sound of running water with no fixture open
• Frost or ice on the outside wall beside the line

Why does water come back after drying?

Water that comes back is usually from a source that was not stopped or a wet area that was not found.

A basement that dries and then wets again has a source still running or a wet area the first readings missed. A drain that was not cleared, a sump that was not tested or a wall cavity that was closed while still damp can all cause it.

The crew stops the drying plan when a reading rises, traces the new water and records the cause. A homeowner who sees water return should call the line the same day.