Basement flooding and water backup can be a major problem, especially if your house is on a lower parcel of ground.  During continued periods of rain the ground becomes saturated.  At some point it becomes so saturated that it can no longer collect the water that is falling.  These are optimal conditions for water leaking into your basement.

With the amount of rain Central Iowa has gotten lately, it is a great time to check your sump pump to make sure it is working.  This testing method varies based on the type of pump you have.  There is a “bucket of water” method that works on every pump or the plug method that works only on newer pumps with two cords.  Go look at your sump pump (in the basement or lowest floor and usually near the furnace).  If it has two cords, take a look at the first video below.  If it only has one cord you will need to use the method shown in the second video.

The Plug Method

The Bucket Method

Remember, home insurance policies won’t always cover this kind of damage.  You either need a stand-alone flood insurance policy or a rider on your home insurance policy that has water backup coverage.  Depending on how the water enters the basement, the water backup coverage won’t always cover this.

First, go check your sump pump! Then talk to your agent or give us a call if you are unsure of how your home insurance would react to damage like this.