Water on a basement or crawl space floor

Flooded Basement and Crawl Space in Canton, GA

Water below the main floor can come from a pipe, a drain, a pump that quit, or rain pushing in at the foundation. In Canton, Hickory Flat, Free Home, Sixes and Macedonia, call (678) 658-3988 and report how deep it is, plus anything plugged in or floating down there and the spot where the water came in.

Call (678) 658-3988

Wet concrete floor under the basement stairs, a pump hose running across it

Big-rain days and the September 2009 gauge

At the Canton gauge a rain day of 2 inches or more arrives 3.6 times a year on average, with September highest at 0.6. In September 2009 the National Weather Service table lists the Canton river gauge above its 16-foot flood stage from midday on the 21st until before 3 a.m. on the 23rd, with a crest of 20.73 feet on the morning of the 22nd. Those two facts frame the risk without predicting any particular storm.

What the contractor can look at

Call (678) 658-3988 with the depth, the spot where it seems to come in and what is stored down there; the contractor arranges the visit.
A look at the source: a pipe, a floor drain, a sump pump, or seepage at a wall or slab joint.
A plan to remove the standing water in stages, and moisture readings on walls, framing and flooring.
A decision on drywall and insulation. Mississippi State's guide says submerged drywall has to be replaced and cellulose insulation removed.
Attention to the crawl space too. UGA's checklist describes a sealed space with a vapor barrier over the soil, 6 to 8 mil thick.
Repair options, and which parts bring paperwork, since finishing a basement is permit work in the county: the offices page.

Step back and get help if

Outlets, cords, a panel or appliances under the water: do not go down. The CDC bars anyone from throwing a switch while standing in water, and a main switch behind the flood is an electrician's job.
A gasoline pump or generator runs outdoors only, at a distance of 20 feet or more from each door, window and vent. The CDC warns that exhaust indoors can reach dangerous carbon monoxide levels. Headache or dizziness inside: get to fresh air and phone 911.
Gas near the furnace or the water heater: leave through the nearest door, touch no switch, and call from the yard or the street: Atlanta Gas Light is 877.427.4321, or use 911.
Water that rose from a floor drain or looks dark and foul: touch nothing and keep children and pets upstairs and away from it.

Basement moves that cost more than they save

Pumping the water out in one afternoon while the ground outside is still saturated. Texas A&M AgriLife leaves permanent repairs until the building is dry, which it says may take weeks.
Running a gasoline pump near the door to speed things up. The CDC puts a 20-foot limit between a gasoline engine and any door, window or vent.
Keeping wet drywall because it looks fine. Mississippi State says submerged drywall has to be replaced.
Storing boxes back on the floor before the slab is dry.

Looks from the doorway

Keep to checks that feel easy from the doorway. None of them needs a tool, a ladder or a step into standing water.

Judge the depth from the stairs, with a yardstick on a pole or by counting the steps under water, and stay out of the water while you do it.
Is the water clear or dark? Does it smell of sewage? Write both answers down.
On a dry day, walk the downspouts: UGA's checklist wants each downspout to empty 6 to 10 feet out from the foundation.
Photograph the water line on the walls, the sump pit if there is one, and the stairs, from a dry spot.

Three looks from the stair landing

Stop at the stair landing and look at the water line against the wall. Is it higher than the outlets? If so, the stop lines decide the next move.
Then look for the source. A steady stream from one pipe is a plumbing problem. Water seeping at the foot of a wall points outside. Water at a floor drain points to a sewer or tank.
Last, photograph the line and the room, and call (678) 658-3988 with the depth, the source you suspect and what is stored down there.

Three short answers

How urgent is water in the basement?

Red: water at wiring, a gas appliance or a gasoline pump nearby, or water that came up through a drain. Stay out and use 911 or the utility. Amber: the floor is wet and the room is safe to enter; give the depth when you use the call button. Green: a damp patch that is shrinking.

Is my street in a flood zone?

Cherokee County's floodplain page says FEMA issued revised flood maps on 7 June 2019. It points to FEMA's Map Service Center and the county GIS site, and lists the stormwater line at 678-493-6074. It names the Etowah River, Little River, Long Swamp Creek, Shoal Creek, Salacoa Creek and Sharp Mountain Creek.

Does the line cover Hickory Flat, Free Home, Sixes and Macedonia too?

Yes. A flooded lower level in Canton, Hickory Flat, Free Home, Sixes, GA and Macedonia, GA goes to the same contractor. Floodplain and drainage details differ by place, so each page lists its own.

Who to ask about paperwork

Finishing a basement brings paperwork

On the county's residential permit page a finished basement counts as permit work, while wallpaper, paint, tile, carpet, cabinets and counters are listed as exempt. A rebuilt finished basement may land on either side of that line. For an address in the unincorporated county, the Development Service Center answers at (770) 721-7810; inside Canton, Building and Safety Services takes inspection requests at 770-704-1551. The offices page has the full list.

Side notes

Checked 1 Nov 2026