The situation

Illustrative example. Not a real job or customer.

In a hypothetical two-story home in a 1990s Aurora subdivision, a late-afternoon storm drops heavy rain and hail for about twenty minutes. Hail fills the egress window well outside a basement bedroom and blocks its drain. Runoff from a downspout nearby keeps flowing into the well. Water rises above the sill and pours through the window frame into the bedroom, then under the door into the family room.

  1. After the lightning passes, the homeowners bail the well and scoop out hail until water stops entering.
  2. They photograph the full well, the water line on the window and the wet carpet before moving anything.
  3. Furniture is lifted onto blocks and boxes from the closet are moved upstairs.
  4. A contractor extracts carpet and pad, notes that the runoff crossed soil and treats it as contaminated, and recommends removing the pad and the bedroom carpet.
  5. Drywall under the window is cut a short way up the wall after the meter shows moisture in the insulation behind it.
  6. Drying equipment runs, and readings are taken daily on the wall bottoms and the slab.

The bedroom carpet and pad are replaced, while the family room carpet, reached only at the doorway by a small amount of water, is cleaned and kept after discussion with the adjuster. The downspout is extended and a well cover is added.

Sunroom with tile flooring, an air mover and a dehumidifier

Sunroom with tile flooring, an air mover and a dehumidifier. One example of what this stage can look like; it is not a job connected to this site.

The fixes afterward

  1. Clear and test the well drain.Gravel and the drain opening at the bottom of the well are cleared, and a bucket of water confirms it flows.
  2. Redirect the downspout.The downspout is extended so roof water lands well away from the well.
  3. Regrade around the well.Soil is reshaped so the surrounding lawn slopes away.
  4. Add a cover.A clear cover that still opens from inside for emergency exit keeps hail and rain out.

Two rooms, two outcomes

Bedroom

  • Direct flow through the window for some time
  • Runoff crossed soil, so treated as contaminated
  • Carpet, pad and lower drywall removed

Family room

  • Small amount of water at the doorway only
  • Extracted quickly and cleaned
  • Kept after discussion with the adjuster

What these homeowners would do sooner next time

General information for Aurora, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.