Flooded Basement and Cellar Drying in Hull

Why Hull has so few cellars

Hull City Council's heritage appraisal notes that basements are rare in Hull, probably because of the soil conditions and how low the ground lies. The Georgian town houses of the Old Town are the main exception. Before the tidal barrier was built in 1980, high tides regularly flooded Old Town basements. Today the below-ground rooms we see are mostly in those older buildings, in converted lower-ground flats, and in some older houses in the East Riding towns.

How below-ground rooms flood

• Groundwater rising after long rain, especially in west Hull where the clay over the chalk is thinner.
• Surface water running down external steps or light wells.
• Sewer water backing up through floor drains when the combined sewer surcharges.
• A burst pipe or tank above, with the water ending up at the lowest point.

How we deal with it

1. Pump out the water, and check whether it's still coming in before relying on drying.
2. Remove ruined contents and finishes, treating the water as contaminated if it came from outside or a drain.
3. Clean and disinfect walls and floor.
4. Dry with dehumidifiers suited to cold, enclosed spaces, taking readings until it's dry.

Keeping it dry afterwards

A below-ground room that floods from groundwater will keep doing it unless the water is managed. Options include a sump and pump, a cavity drainage membrane, or tanking, and a specialist should advise. A non-return valve on the drain stops sewage coming back in through floor gullies. If you're below ground, sign up for flood warnings and check your street with our postcode checker.

Our water damage cost guide sets out what pumping out, stripping out and drying usually cost, and how flood and escape of water claims differ.