Sump Pumps & Drainage · Des Moines, IA
Sump Pumps & Foundation Drainage in Des Moines, IA
In a basement town like Des Moines, the sump pump and the gutters do most of the work of keeping a foundation dry. When either fails during a summer storm, water reaches the wall within hours.
Request a foundation inspectionSump pump checks
Pour a bucket of water into the pit and make sure the pump starts, empties the pit and shuts off. Do it before spring storms.
Battery backups
Storms that knock out power are the same storms that fill sump pits. A battery or water-powered backup pump covers those hours.
Discharge lines
The pump's outlet should carry water well away from the house. Lines that freeze in winter or dump next to the wall cause repeat problems.
Gutters
Clean gutters sized for heavy rain keep roof water from pouring down beside the foundation.
Downspouts
Extend downspouts several feet from the house, or connect them to buried lines that drain to daylight or the street where allowed.
Grading
Soil should slope away from the walls. Settled backfill beside newer homes often slopes back toward the basement.
Drain tile
Older homes may have clay tile drains around the footing that have collapsed or clogged over time.
Low spots
Water that stands near the house for days after rain is a sign the yard needs regrading or a drain.
Get an inspection
Tell the contractor where water collects and how the sump behaves in storms. Send a request and a foundation repair contractor will get in touch.
Frequently asked questions
- How long do sump pumps last?
- Many last several years, but it varies with how often they run. Test yours each spring.
- Can regrading fix a wet basement?
- Often it helps a lot, sometimes enough on its own.
Other foundation repair services
Request a foundation inspection
Bowing basement walls, new cracks, water on the floor after a storm. Tell us what you're seeing and we'll pass it straight to a foundation contractor, who will call you to set up an inspection and quote.
- Basement walls, cracks and slabs
- Des Moines, Grimes, Norwalk, Indianola and nearby
- Inspection and quote before any work
Need sump pumps & drainage in Des Moines?
Send a request and a foundation contractor will get in touch. Requests answered 7 days a week.
Prefer email? [email protected]