Basement waterproofing for Elmira and Chemung County, 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 serving Elmira and Chemung 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 buyers in Elmira, Horseheads, Elmira Heights, Southport, Big Flats and the rest of Chemung County. Elmira is the county seat and had 26,523 residents at the 2020 census. It became a city in 1864, and a big share of its houses date from the decades when the railroads and factories were growing. The Near Westside Historic District alone holds about 480 principal buildings across some 25 to 30 blocks, most of them homes. Older houses like those tend to sit on stone, brick or block foundations under basements that were dug for coal and a furnace, not for a playroom. Newer houses in the towns have poured walls, which crack and leak differently. If your basement has a squeegee leaning by the stairs, this site is for you.

Why do basements in Elmira get wet?

Start with where the city sits. Elmira is built almost entirely on the floodplain of the Chemung River, which flows east through town, with Newtown Creek joining it at the southeast corner. The U.S. Geological Survey describes the Chemung River valley in eastern Chemung County as nearly a mile wide and filled with saturated sand and gravel, and notes that till covers sand and gravel in parts of the Newtown Creek valley farther north. That shapes how water reaches a foundation:

• Valley-floor houses sit over sand and gravel that hold groundwater close to the river. After long, wet stretches, water under the slab can rise and push in at the joint where the wall meets the floor.
• Hillside houses on the slopes above the Southside, in Southport and up toward Horseheads catch runoff on the uphill wall, where dense soil sends water sideways instead of letting it soak down.
• Steady precipitation. Elmira averages about 38 inches of precipitation and about 42 inches of snow a year. Late-winter thaws and spring rain are when most basements show their weak spots.
• Roof water. Clogged gutters and downspouts that empty right at the corner of the house pour water exactly where the foundation is least able to shed it.

What signs mean it's time for an inspection?

• A wet line at the bottom of the wall after rain or snowmelt
• White chalky crust (efflorescence), rust stains or flaking paint on block, brick or stone
• A crack in a poured wall that darkens, drips or grows
• A sump pump that runs in dry weather, hums without pumping, or has an unknown age
• A musty smell, mildew on cardboard boxes, or sweating cold-water pipes in July
• Damp carpet, warped paneling or swollen trim in a finished basement

Which repair fits which problem?

That depends on how the water gets in. Seepage at the floor edge along several walls usually points to interior drain tile feeding a sump pump. A single leaking crack in a poured wall is often a job for crack injection, while old stone and brick may need repointing. When you want the walls themselves dry, or the original footing drain has failed, exterior waterproofing keeps water off the wall at the cost of digging. And if nothing ever puddles but the basement always feels clammy, a properly sized dehumidifier and better roof drainage may be the whole answer. A good company explains which problem its plan solves, and why you don't need the others.

Is basement seepage the same as a flood?

No, and in Elmira that difference is personal. When Hurricane Agnes hit in June 1972, damage in the city was estimated at $291 million, more than 15,000 people had to leave, and about 5,000 homes were damaged or destroyed. The Susquehanna River Basin Commission notes that federal flood control reservoirs built after Agnes supplement a system of levees in the region, yet flood risk remains a real concern. Waterproofing handles groundwater and seepage. It won't keep out river water flowing over the ground and through basement windows. If your house is in a mapped flood zone, talk with your insurance agent and your municipality about flood coverage before you finish the basement.

What can I check on my own first?

The next time it pours, grab an umbrella and spend ten minutes outside. You're looking for roof water landing where it shouldn't: gutters overflowing at the corners, downspouts that stop a foot from the wall, a patio or flower bed that has settled so it now pitches toward the house, and window wells that fill like buckets. Fixing those costs little, and in plenty of Elmira basements it ends the leak. If water still turns up downstairs after the roof and yard are draining away from the house, the problem is below grade and worth an inspection.

Buying a house in Chemung County?

Basement water is easy to hide for a showing. Pay attention to a freshly painted band on the lower walls, brand-new paneling in an otherwise dated basement, belongings stored up on blocks, a dehumidifier or two running in summer, and a sump pump that looks much newer than the house. Rust at the base of the furnace or water heater tells its own story. Put the question to the sellers in writing, and if anything looks off, have a waterproofing company out before your inspection contingency expires.

Are you a waterproofing company?

No. Elmira 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 Chemung County basement water guide.

Areas we cover

• Elmira
• Horseheads and Elmira Heights
• Southport
• Big Flats

Planning ahead? Read our Chemung County basement water guide.