Metro Milwaukee
Basement Finishing,
Basement Remodeling
and
Basement
Waterproofing

If you are getting puddles of water on the basement floor when it rains, but there is no evidence of large wall cracks or buckling, first
Check Outside.

If you do not have a sump pump, check down inside of your basement floor drain trap to see if you have a Palmer valve. It is like a little round door over the end of the drain tile coming into the trap. This should be able to open freely.

Sump Pump and Pit: Check the sump pump to be sure that it is operating smoothly and quietly and is lowering the water in the crock. If it is not, have it repaired or replaced. Palmer Valves:

Look for low spots next to the foundation, over-flowing gutters, a down spout that is disconnected, a sump pump discharge pipe that allows water to fall close to the house and other obvious reasons why water would collect next to the exterior basement wall. These are a very common occurrence. If caught early the puddling problem may stop when the source of the water is removed. But if the problem persists it should NOT be ignored.

Sump Pump Discharge Pipe: Remove the snow cover (if any) from the sump pump discharge pipe and extend it to get the water away from the house. A piece of downspout pipe or even a trough made by nailing two boards together lengthwise at right angles to each other will work fine.

As long as the wall is stable, most wet basement problems can be solved and the basement made waterproof by adding some interior drain tiles and an perhaps additional sump pump. The Basement Waterproofing section has more information about interior drain tiles and sump pumps.