Basement waterproofing in Horseheads and Elmira Heights, NY
For the villages and neighborhoods north of the city, up the Newtown Creek valley.
The Town of Horseheads had 19,412 residents in 2020. Inside it are the village of Horseheads (6,606 people), about five miles north of downtown Elmira, and most of the village of Elmira Heights (3,916), a northern suburb of the city. The village of Horseheads takes its name from the skulls of pack horses left behind by the Sullivan Expedition in 1779, and it was once a port on the Chemung Canal.
Creek bottoms and higher ground
Newtown Creek runs through the middle of the town and along the east side of both villages on its way south to the Chemung River. The U.S. Geological Survey ranks the Newtown Creek valley east of Horseheads as one of the county's more productive groundwater areas, and notes that till overlies the sand and gravel in parts of the creek's upper reaches. Houses on low ground near the creek can see the water table rise under the slab, while homes on the slopes, in neighborhoods such as Orchard Knoll, are more likely to take water through the uphill wall.
Older villages, newer subdivisions
Housing here runs from older homes near the village centers, often on block or stone foundations, to subdivisions with poured walls and finished basements. Older foundations tend to leak through the walls and joints; newer ones more often at shrinkage cracks and the floor edge.
What gets done most often here?
- Crack injection in poured walls on newer homes
- Drain tile and sumps for houses on low ground
- Exterior work on the uphill side of sloped lots
- Dehumidifiers and sealed sump lids in finished basements
Common questions
Do you cover Breesport and the rest of the Town of Horseheads?
Yes. Call with your address and we'll connect you with a company that works there.
Who handles permits in Horseheads and Elmira Heights?
The villages and the town run their own building and code enforcement offices, separate from the City of Elmira. Ask the company to confirm the permit with the right office first.
Services in Horseheads & Elmira Heights
- Interior drain tileA perimeter drain under the edge of the basement floor that catches seepage and carries it to a sump pit.
- Sump pumpsNew pumps, replacements, battery backups, high-water alarms and discharge lines that move water away from the house.
- Foundation crack repairInjection for leaking cracks in poured walls and joint repair for block, brick and fieldstone foundations.
- Exterior waterproofingExcavating to the footing, sealing the outside of the wall and adding a footing drain so water never reaches the basement.
- Basement dehumidifiersProperly sized, self-draining dehumidifiers and moisture fixes for basements that are damp, musty or growing mildew.
Nearby areas
Water at the base of the wall, a crack that drips, or a sump you don't trust?
Call and a Chemung County waterproofing company will come trace where the water is getting in.