Rome had 32,127 residents at the 2020 census. It grew up at the old portage between the Mohawk River and Wood Creek, around Fort Stanwix, "the fort that never surrendered" during the 1777 siege. Construction of the Erie Canal began here on July 4, 1817. Later the city was home to Griffiss Air Force Base, which closed in 1995 and is now Griffiss International Airport.
What sits under Rome?
The U.S. Geological Survey has mapped Rome's stratified-drift aquifers separately from Utica's. Stratified drift is the layered sand, gravel and finer sediment that glacial meltwater left behind, so ground conditions can change from one street to the next. A house on sandy, gravelly ground may drain well most of the year and then take water when the water table rises in spring; a house on tighter, siltier soil may hold water against the foundation for days after a storm. That's one reason a neighbor's fix isn't always the right one for you.
Housing from several eras
Rome's older downtown neighborhoods have stone, brick and block foundations, while many houses on the city's outer streets and in nearby towns came later with poured walls. A good inspection separates leaks that need drainage from walls that need repointing, and both from basements that just need the gutters fixed.
What jobs come up most in Rome?
- Interior drain tile and sump pumps in older basements
- Crack injection in newer poured walls
- Exterior work where yards leave room to dig
- Dehumidifiers and sealed sump lids for musty basements
Common questions
Does Rome use the same permit rules as Utica?
No. Rome is a separate city with its own codes office. Ask your contractor or the city whether your job needs a permit before work starts.
Do you cover Lee, Westmoreland and Floyd?
Yes. Call with your address and we'll look for a company that serves it.
Services in Rome
- Interior drain tileA perforated drain under the basement floor along the walls that catches seepage and carries it to a sump pit.
- Sump pumps and backupsNew pumps, replacements, battery backups, alarms and discharge lines that carry water well away from the foundation.
- Foundation crack and wall repairSealing leaking cracks in poured walls and repointing mortar in block, brick and fieldstone foundations.
- Exterior waterproofingDigging to the footing, sealing the outside of the wall and adding a footing drain so water never reaches the basement.
- Dehumidifiers and moisture controlProperly sized, self-draining dehumidifiers and moisture fixes for basements that stay damp or musty.
Nearby areas
Snowmelt on the floor, a weeping wall, or a sump that never rests?
Call and an Oneida County waterproofing company will come find where the water gets in.