Basement flooding and sump pump failures in Brookings

Safety first

• Check the sump pump: is it running, is the float stuck, and is the discharge line frozen or blocked with ice where it exits the house?
• If the water is coming up through a floor drain and smells of sewage, stop using sinks, toilets and the washer. See sewage backup cleanup.
• Photograph the water level on the walls, the sump pit and every affected room.
• Move boxes, electronics and furniture off the floor if it is safe to do so.

Call about a flooded basement

Why Brookings basements take on water

Eastern South Dakota has a long record of snowmelt flooding. The National Weather Service says the Big Sioux, James and Vermillion basins received 60 to more than 90 inches of snow from December 1968 through March 1969, and the Big Sioux saw major to record flooding from Watertown to Sioux City that April as the deep snowpack melted. In March 2010, after a wet fall and a winter of 40 to 60 inches of snow, a rapid warm-up melted the snowpack on top of frozen ground and major flooding spread across eastern South Dakota (NWS). In March 2019, a blizzard dropped up to two feet of snow in parts of the region, followed by rapid warming and flooding (Wikipedia).

The same pattern plays out on a small scale in a basement. When the ground is frozen, melting snow cannot soak in, so it runs along the surface toward foundations and window wells, and the soil next to the house stays saturated for weeks. Then summer brings the heaviest rain: the Brookings 2 NE station averages about 4.29 inches in June and 3.61 inches in July (PlainClimate). In September 2019, two-day totals reached 7.20 inches southeast of Brookings, and the National Weather Service reported many structures inundated across the region (NWS Sioux Falls).

Common basement water sources

How drying works

The EPA recommends drying wet materials within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold growth (EPA). In a finished basement, water wicks up drywall and into the bottom plates, and carpet pad holds water against the concrete. A restoration provider will extract standing water, pull up wet carpet and pad, cut the drywall above the wet line if needed, and run dehumidifiers and air movers until moisture readings reach dry standard.

The source of the water changes the scope. The IICRC classifies sewage and rising floodwater as Category 3, the most contaminated class (IICRC). In that case, porous materials such as carpet, pad and lower drywall are removed and disposed of rather than dried.

What insurance says

The South Dakota Division of Insurance says seepage through the walls is commonly excluded from homeowners coverage, while water from a sewer backup or flooding groundwater may be covered under some policies, and encourages homeowners to review this with their agent (SD Division of Insurance). It lists flood, surface water and sewer backup among the exclusions of the common HO-3 form (SD Division of Insurance), so a backup endorsement and a separate flood policy are worth asking about. See the South Dakota insurance guide.

What it may cost

Angi puts basement water cleanup at roughly $500 to $2,800, from about $500 to $1,500 for an inch of clean water up to $2,800 or more for two feet of sewage (Angi). These are national figures, not quotes. The restoration costs page has more detail.

Before next spring

• Test the sump pump in the fall by filling the pit with water and watching it cycle.
• Make sure the discharge line drains away from the house and will not freeze closed.
• Extend downspouts several feet from the foundation and keep the ground sloping away.
• Clear snow away from the foundation and window wells before a fast thaw.
• Keep valuables off the basement floor, in plastic bins rather than cardboard.

Call a restoration provider