Basement Waterproofing in New London, Ohio

New London is a village of about 2,400 people in eastern Huron County. Its water supply comes from the New London Upground Reservoir, which is filled from the Vermilion River.

The Vermilion River basin was one of the areas hit hardest by the July 1969 north-central Ohio flood, when more than 14 inches of rain fell in places. Huron County as a whole has an older housing stock, with about 44% of homes built before 1960.

New London at a glance

Common basement problems in New London

Village homes and farmhouses around New London often have older foundations with no exterior waterproofing. The most common complaints are water at the wall-floor joint after heavy rain, damp block walls with white deposits, and sump pumps that are old or undersized.

Before getting quotes, note when the water appears, where it comes in, and how long it lasts. That information helps a contractor quickly tell surface water from groundwater.

• Look at the joint where the wall meets the floor after a heavy rain. Damp lines there usually mean water pressure from outside, not a plumbing leak.
• Check block walls for white, chalky deposits (efflorescence). They are left behind by water moving through the masonry.
• Walk the outside of the house during a storm. Downspouts that dump next to the foundation are one of the cheapest problems to fix.
• If you have a sump pump, pour a bucket of water into the pit and make sure it starts, empties the pit and shuts off.