[Skylab]

Well, it's happened again.  Last night it thunderstormed with torrential rains literally all night long, and I knew when I got up this morning it was going to be bad.  And it was:
 
 

 
That is the view from my deck, looking at the back yard.  Trust me folks, there is supposed to be grass there, not 2 feet of water.
 
In spite of the fact that I spent tens of thousands of dollars last year putting in a drain-tile system with a back-up generator for the sump pump, and upgraded to a 1/2 HP pump, there was just no way it could keep up.  There is literally so much water pressure that the water is STREAMING into my in the corner of the basement.  There was almost a foot of water in the basement when I woke up this morning.  Since the rain has stopped, at least for now, the water has receded in the basement - it's still coming in, but the pump is able to keep up for the moment.
 
So once again, I will have to throw out a tun of stuff, including most of my family's clothes, which unfortunately were washed and folded neatly in baskets - on the basement floor...will need new carpet down there - the EPOS speakers I have down there (which are floorstanders) are likely ruined...as is the Denon receiver that powers them...my son's videogames...etc. etc...will have to tear out some of the drywall, probably...massive bummer.

 

[iancraig10]

I'm really sorry to see that Skylab. I presume you're in Chicago?
 
What on earth is it like outside your garden? Is the whole place flooded? We occasionally get floods here in the UK because the drains can't deal with it, mainly in places at the foot of hills so it runs straight in and the damage is unbelieveable. Some insurance companies now won't insure buildings in certain locations!!

 

[Skylab]

Thanks Ian.  Yes, I live just outside the Chicago city limits. 
 
I really have no idea why we get so much water back-up in the back yard.  Happens to the neighbors on both sides of me, too, but not beyond that, as far as I can tell.
 
I do actually have insurance for basement water back-ups - so that part will be covered at least...but it will still be a huge bummer to deal with...

 

[krmathis]

Really sorry to see/hear!
From the thread title I recon this is not the first time.. So maybe about time to consider moving to higher grounds?

 

[TheWuss]

rob, i'm sorry to hear that. 
 
i'm not one of those nuts that rants about climate change, but i do think the weather has done things in the last few years that are NOT NORMAL!

 

[Skylab]

Thanks KRMathis.  Yes, this is now the third basement flood in 5 years.  I am going to take one more stab at prevention - I need to channel the water away from the house.  But if that fails, then yeah - time to move I guess.  But we've lived here 11 years and really like it...plus moving could just be trading one problem for another...

 

[Skylab]

Quote:

rob, i'm sorry to hear that. 
 
i'm not one of those nuts that rants about climate change, but i do think the weather has done things in the last few years that are NOT NORMAL!

Thanks The Wuss.  I agree.  This just isn't normal, what's been going on here the last couple years.

 

[TheWuss]

friendly neighborhood architect reporting for duty.
 
you can install a storm water exfiltration system.
 
basically, that consists of a large chamber that would store all the excess storm water.  you would then route your gutters/downspouts to this chamber...
 
the chamber is perforated on the bottom to allow the water to slowly seep back into the water table underground.
 
the only hitch is you'd have to dig up a small portion of your back yard to install it.
 
http://www.stormtech.com/

 

[Todd R]

Wow Rob.
Have you talked to the city about the drainage problem in your neighborhood, or is it just your place?
Seems like city the sewer system should be taking care of that.
 
I'm lucky here, just lost some tree limbs.

 

[Skylab]

 
Quote:

friendly neighborhood architect reporting for duty.
 
you can install a storm water exfiltration system.
 
basically, that consists of a large chamber that would store all the excess storm water.  you would then route your gutters/downspouts to this chamber...
 
the chamber is perforated on the bottom to allow the water to slowly seep back into the water table underground.
 
the only hitch is you'd have to dig up a small portion of your back yard to install it.
 
http://www.stormtech.com/

Hmmmm...I will look into that!  Thanks.
 
Quote:

Wow Rob.
Have you talked to the city about the drainage problem in your neighborhood, or is it just your place?
Seems like city the sewer system should be taking care of that.
 
I'm lucky here, just lost some tree limbs.

Indeed - the time has come for me to discuss this with the Village.  It's not just my place.  There is a drainage issue at the back of my property, effecting at least 6 adjoining properties.

 

[Todd R]

Quote:

Indeed - the time has come for me to discuss this with the Village.  It's not just my place.  There is a drainage issue at the back of my property, effecting at least 6 adjoining properties.

Hmmm,
Do I smell a lawsuit coming?

 

[Samgotit]

That is a nightmare.

 

[logwed]

So you guys have had bad flooding down there, too? That was us two days ago. I checked intellicast last night and saw that massive line of storms marching straight east through Chicago... If we had gotten that we'd be at our third 100-year flood in the past decade.
 
This is a picture of a neighborhood about 1/4 mile from my house. There is about 3 feet of rushing water above that street. 
 

 

[KimChee]

Good lord that looks horrible.  I thought the 2 inches of standing water in my basement were bad enough.  I thought this type of thing only happened in more rural areas (ie where I live).  Really sorry to see that.

 

[momomo6789]

you might want to check the flood plane maps see if its been flooding in the past or its something the city has done.