Basement waterproofing in Utica, NY

How it works

1. Call or send a request

   Tell us your town and where the water or dampness shows up.

2. We connect you

   Your call goes to an independent waterproofing company that serves Utica and Oneida County.

3. They call you back

   They inspect the basement and give you a written proposal directly.

Who is this site for?

Homeowners, landlords and house hunters in Utica and the towns around it: New Hartford, Whitesboro, Yorkville, New York Mills, Oriskany, Marcy, Rome and the rest of Oneida County. Utica grew up on the Mohawk River around the site of Old Fort Schuyler, and the Erie and Chenango canals turned it into a textile city in the 1800s. Plenty of the neighborhoods that grew up in those years still sit on stone, brick and block foundations, and the suburbs added poured walls that crack in their own ways. If you keep a wet-vac at the bottom of the stairs, this site is for you.

Why do Utica basements get wet?

Snow, clay and a river valley. Utica averages around 88 inches of snow a year (NOAA 1981–2010 normals), including lake-effect snow off Lakes Ontario and Erie, and when that snow melts in a few warm days the ground around a foundation fills up fast. Under the valley, the U.S. Geological Survey has mapped silt and clay laid down on the bottom of a glacial lake, which it describes as having very low permeability, plus clay-rich glacial till on the hillsides. Water that can't soak down through clay moves sideways, and a basement wall is often the first thing in its way. Other common reasons:

• Spring thaw and rain on snow. The worst leaks often come in late winter, when the ground is still frozen a few inches down and meltwater has nowhere to go but along the foundation.
• Old foundation walls. Lime mortar in fieldstone and brick walls slowly washes out, and many of these basements were dug for coal bins and furnaces, not living space.
• Roof water. Ice dams, packed gutters and short downspouts drop water right at the corners of the house.
• Hillside streets. South Utica and much of New Hartford climb toward the Appalachian Plateau, so the uphill wall of a house catches runoff from the yards above it.

Signs your basement needs a closer look

• Water at the joint where the wall meets the floor after a thaw or a heavy rain
• White, chalky crust (efflorescence) or damp patches on block, brick or stone
• A crack that darkens, drips or slowly gets wider
• A sump pump that runs all spring, hums without pumping, or is older than you can remember
• Musty smell, mildew on boxes, or sweating cold-water pipes in summer
• Peeling paint or blistering sealer on the lower walls

Which fix fits the problem?

It depends on where the water enters. Seepage at the floor edge on several walls usually calls for interior drain tile feeding a sump pump. One leaking crack in a poured wall can often be sealed with crack injection, while old stone and brick may need repointing. When the outside of the wall is the problem, or you're finishing the basement and want the wall itself kept dry, exterior waterproofing is the bigger but more complete job. And if the basement is clammy rather than wet, dehumidification plus better roof drainage may be all it needs. A good company will tell you which problem its fix is solving.

What can I check myself first?

Go outside during the next thaw or downpour. Watch for gutters spilling over, downspouts emptying against the foundation, snowbanks piled against the house, soil or a walkway that tilts toward the wall, and window wells holding water. Moving plowed snow away from the foundation and extending downspouts several feet cost little and sometimes fix the leak outright. If water still comes in after that, it's time for an inspection.

Where should sump pump water go?

Into the yard, away from the house, not into the sanitary sewer. Oneida County has been under a state consent order to stop sanitary sewer overflows at its Sauquoit Creek pump station, which the county says happen when rain and snowmelt push more water into the system than the treatment plant can handle. Clean groundwater from a sump adds to that load. Ask the company where your discharge will end up and check with your city, village or town if you're not sure what's allowed.

Buying an older house in Oneida County?

Look for fresh paint on the lower walls, new drywall in a finished basement, a dehumidifier running in July, rust on the bottoms of metal shelves and water lines on boxes. Ask the sellers whether water has come in and what was done. A waterproofing inspection before your inspection contingency runs out tells you what you're buying.

Are you a waterproofing company?

No. Utica Basement Waterproofing is a referral service. We connect you with an independent waterproofing company that serves your address, and that company inspects, prices, does and warranties the work. Before you sign anything, read our hiring tips and the Oneida County basement water guide.

Areas we cover

• Utica
• New Hartford
• Whitesboro, Yorkville and Whitestown
• Rome

Planning ahead? Read our Oneida County basement water guide.