Serving Galveston
Groundwater & Basement Water Intrusion in Galveston, TX
Basement seepage, failed sumps, and hydrostatic pressure against the foundation are extracted and dried, and the path from the ground is identified so the loss does not repeat. Groundwater and basement seepage are extracted and dried only after the path from the soil is identified — a wall, a slab, a drain, or a failed sump. Drying the interior without stopping that path returns the same water to the same floor.
Frequently asked questions
Is this property behind the wall or beyond it?
It is the first thing worth establishing. The seawall and the raised grade behind it cover a defined part of the island and stop at a line; beyond that, elevation is whatever the individual building was set at. Two properties a few miles apart have entirely different exposures and entirely different insurance situations. The mapping shows where the line runs.
The water came from the bay side and the Gulf was calm.
It is the ordinary way water arrives on an island. Wind pushing across the bay stacks it at one end and holds it there for as long as the wind lasts, with no surf involved at all, so the north side goes under while the beach looks entirely normal. What the bay is forecast to do is the number worth following on those days rather than anything about the surf.
What happens to a building after salt water?
Mechanical and electrical plant that was submerged comes out rather than being dried and restarted, because salt leaves residue inside motors, controls and burners that goes on corroding and can fail dangerously. Porous material that sat in it comes out too. Hard surfaces need washing rather than only drying, since the salt stays behind when the water leaves.
This FAQ belongs to the Galveston page; it is repeated here.