Homeowners face flooding as melting snow seeps into basements

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - Tuesday’s winter storm is not fully behind us quite yet, but many homeowners have already started to face the aftermath of the snow.

Basement flooding can cause headaches for many homeowners in the days and weeks following storms as the snow starts to melt. We checked in with a basement and waterproofing company in Chicopee and found that they have been busy responding to calls about flooded basements following Tuesday’s storm.

With temperatures expected to rise in the coming days, homeowners could face the melting snow seeping water into their basements.

Western Mass News is getting answers about what homeowners should know. We brought our questions to Robert Giovanni, the sales manager at Advanced Basement Waterproofing Chicopee. We asked him which types of homes are most susceptible to flooding following snow storms:

“Every type of home basically is,” he told us. “10 percent of your water comes through the footer, 90 percent straight up in the basements where the wall meets the floor. So, it doesn’t matter what type of basement you have or what type of foundation, you’re still going to get ground water.”

Giovanni also told us that preparation is key. He recommended that homeowners check that their downspouts are pointed away from the foundation and window wells are covered before snow storms like this one.

He added that they tend to see an uptick in calls for about a week after storms like Tuesday’s, sometimes months later depending on how soon temperatures rise.

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