Winter is almost here. In many parts of the U.S. that means snow, rain and combinations of the two. For homeowners in those areas that happen to be near a coastal zone, that can also mean basement flooding. While you may not be able to fight Mother Nature, there are steps to mitigate potential flooding.
For our flooring customers who have flooding issues, we recommend a proactive approach to stopping basement flooding. That can start with simple things like installing gutters and down spouts that move water away from basement walls.
Beyond simple steps like gutters, homeowners should have flooding devices such as a sump pump or back flow valve to keep water from backing up. For more serious basement flooding situations, homeowners should consider installing a sump pit drainage system.
A sump pit drainage system includes a sump pit, a sump pump, and a discharge pipe. The sump pit, set into the basement floor, collects water from the weeping tiles around your basement. The pump pushes the water outside your house through the discharge pipe. The sump pump discharge pipe should be far enough away from the house so that it drains somewhere onto your property where water can be absorbed—and not drain back into the house—such as the lawn or flowerbed.
The other part of being proactive about basement flooding is having flooring that can withstand occasional moisture and is easy to clean. Our FreeStyle flooring is one that’s been particularly effective for homeowners with basements in coastal zones, even though it was originally designed for commercial use.
One customer from Staten Island installed FreeStyle flooring in their basement just prior to Hurricane Sandy. The flooring not only survived being under five feet of water, but having sheetrock stuck to it. To look at it now, you never would know it.
SelecTech flooring employs a patented, interlocking flooring technology that installs directly on top of existing flooring—the no messy adhesives. So when weather events like Sandy cause flooding, clean-up is as simple as pumping out the water, removing the tiles, powerwashing them and reinstalling after both the tiles and basement floor dries.
FreeStyle tiles are made from 70 percent recycled materials and are 100 percent recyclable. Other features include: waterproof, anti-microbial chemical and stain-resistant composition; 20-mil wear layer with urethane/no wax finish; stays in place under 550 p.s.i. point loads; low noise; excellent underfoot; ADA slip-resistant compliant; and more. FreeStyle flooring comes with a 10-year commercial wear warranty.
