The recent heavy rains have caused problems across Western New York especially in basements where homeowners have been getting lots of water leaks.
Local contractors say they are getting so many calls for help that they are having a hard time keeping up.
The biggest concern is sump pump issues, followed by wall cracks and drain tile problems.
7 Eyewitness News Reporter Ed Reilly met up with crews from Frank's Drainage & Waterproofing, Tonawanda and UTECH Basement Waterproofing, Cheektowaga to see how things were going.
Both contractors are urging homeowners to check sumps pumps for problems because more rain is coming. Make sure sump pumps are working, have a good electrical connection, check for dirt and debris in the sump well (make sure power is disconnected), and consider installing a back up system.
Frank DiMaria, owner of Frank's Drainage & Waterproofing, said he is seeing cases where people have not gone into basements for days only to discover there is several inches of water.
Tony Wagner, Project Manager for UTECH Basement Waterproofing, is reminding property owners that having good rain gutters is a key to controlling basement flooding.
While dehumidifiers are helpful, there is so much water getting into basements that it is more that the devices can handle.
Believe it or not, last summer's severe drought (and mild winter) is also contributing to the problem because the extreme dryness shrunk clay in the soil making it easier for water to travel to your basement.
You can see more in Ed Reilly's reports.
