Elmore County
Waterproofing help for Wetumpka homes
Wetumpka's own flood information singles out two ways a basement floods that have nothing to do with a leaking wall. Both are worth ruling out before you pay for anything else.
The two the city names
Under property protection, the City of Wetumpka's flood information page lists "preventing basement flooding from sewer backup or sump pump failure."
Call a plumber
Sewer backup
Dirty water rising from a floor drain, a basement toilet or a shower means the sewer is pushing back into the house. A waterproofing company does not fix this. A plumber fits a backwater valve on the sewer line, and the utility should be told.
Call this number
Sump pump failure
Clear water rising in the basin and spilling over the floor means the pump has stopped, lost power or cannot keep up. A battery backup and a high-water alarm are the usual answer.
How to tell which you have
Look at where the water starts and what it looks like. Grey or smelly water at a drain is sewage. Clear water at the sump, the wall joint or a crack is ground water. If both happen in the same storm, deal with the sewer side first, because it is the one that makes the room unsafe to use.
The pump side is covered in detail under sump pump installation.
The bigger measures on the city's list
The same page describes heavier protection for buildings in flood-prone areas: raising the building, putting fill or concrete barriers between it and flood water, and two kinds of floodproofing. Those are answers to a river in the yard, not to a damp wall, and they are beyond what a drainage company installs.
If you think your house is in that position, the city directs flood questions to its Building Department on 334-567-1303. Wetumpka also has a Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance, so ask that office whether your plans need its approval before any filling or regrading.
Before a company comes out
- Look up the address on FEMA's flood map search and note the zone.
- Write down whether the water was clear or dirty, and where it first appeared.
- Find the sump basin, if there is one, and check whether the pump runs when you lift the float.
- Find the main sewer cleanout so a plumber can be shown it.
Hiring
The company you reach is independent. Alabama's license search and the questions to ask are on the page about choosing a waterproofing company.
Montgomery and nearby towns
Ready to have someone look at it?
Call and describe what you are seeing and when it happens. You will be put through to an independent local waterproofing company, and they arrange the visit with you.
Phone calls may be recorded. See the referral disclosure and the privacy policy.