Basement Water Risk Check for Downingtown, PA

How the basement water risk check works

Many Downingtown homes sit on fieldstone or block foundations, and groundwater rises in spring and after long rains, so the basement is where most water first shows up. The check adds up the signs that most often come before a basement flood: past water, an aging or missing sump pump, no backup power for storms that knock out electricity, downspouts emptying at the foundation, a finished basement full of porous materials and low ground near a creek.

It is a warning check, not an inspection. To see whether a property sits in a mapped flood zone, start from FEMA's flood maps. See sump pump failure cleanup and basement flooding cleanup for what happens when water gets in.