Basement Waterproofing FAQ for Akron, OH
Owners of homes in Akron, OH often ask who answers for a sewer backup, what Ohio expects of a contractor and where sump water may go. Akron OH Basement Waterproofing, a free referral and advertising service, gives plain, general answers below, never legal advice.
Quick Answers
This site does no basement work and only passes along requests to be contacted.
Are the sewers in Akron combined?
Partly. About a quarter of the City of Akron's sewers, the oldest dating from the early 1900s, move storm runoff and household wastewater together; the rest are separate. When a floor drain backs up at an Akron address, report it through 311 (330-375-2311 if 311 won't connect) or the line the City lists as 24-hour, its Utilities Dispatcher at 330-375-2666. In County sewer areas, DSSS answers at (330) 926-2400.
Who is responsible for the pipe from my house to the street?
In Akron, every owner must keep the lateral clear from the house to the sewer main. A break on private property is the owner's to repair; the City handles the part in the public right-of-way. Repair work, the City says, is for a licensed sewer contractor, and it needs a City sewer permit first. Owners can ask through 311 for the City's camera look down the lateral.
Can my sump pump empty into the sewer?
Not into the sanitary line at an Akron address. City rules keep sump pumps, footer drains and house drains off the sanitary lateral. Send the water outside instead, far enough from the walls and from the neighbors' yards, and never into a floor drain or laundry tub. Elsewhere, ask the city and a licensed plumber where it should go.
If I sign a contract in my living room, can I still cancel?
You may have that option. Ohio's Home Solicitation Sales Act generally leaves a buyer free to cancel a home solicitation sale through midnight of the third business day after the contract is signed. Exclusions cover sales under $25, certain buyer-initiated dealings with a seller operating from a fixed Ohio location, and genuine emergencies where the buyer signs a waiver. Look in the contract for the cancel steps, put any cancellation in writing and hold on to a copy.
Does Ohio license waterproofing contractors?
No. Ohio's Construction Industry Licensing Board covers five trades only: HVAC, refrigeration, electrical, plumbing and hydronics, and neither Akron nor Summit County licenses waterproofers. Akron does require any contractor, whatever its trade, to register with the City before doing work that needs a permit. Ask whether yours is registered and confirm it with the Plans & Permits Center, 330-375-2010.
Who issues permits for basement work in Akron?
Building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits for Akron homes and the five nearby cities come from Summit County Building Standards, (330) 630-7280. The City's Plans & Permits Center, 330-375-2010, which shares that address, handles Akron's sewer, right-of-way, grading and zoning permits. Whether a drain-and-sump job needs a permit turns on its scope, so ask the contractor to name each one before you sign.
Is there a program that helps pay for a backwater valve?
No. No program was found in the City of Akron, at Summit County or in the five nearby cities that pays for backwater valves, backup cleanup, lateral repair or waterproofing. Ask a licensed plumber if a valve is worth fitting; it takes permits, and the homeowner pays. The City's Backflow Prevention Program protects drinking water and has nothing to do with sewers.
Doesn't the big tunnel downtown keep basements dry?
That isn't its job. The Ohio Canal Interceptor Tunnel, part of Akron Waterways Renewed!, has been fully in service since June 2020. It holds overflow from nine downtown points, keeping it out of the Little Cuyahoga River and the canal. Groundwater in a wall or a private lateral backup is another matter.
Will homeowners insurance cover water in the basement?
Seepage that builds over time and groundwater are left out of many homeowner policies. A City of Akron sewer brochure points out that sewer backup coverage may have to be added to a policy. Your policy's own wording settles it; go through it and ask your insurer or agent.
Why doesn't this site name the contractor?
Naming a business here could look like an endorsement, and Ohio's Consumer Sales Practices Act counts a false claim of sponsorship, approval or affiliation as deceptive. The contractor introduces itself when it gets in touch; check its City registration, insurance certificates and references yourself.
Ask a Local Contractor
Fill in the request form. It reaches a single independent contractor in the area, who contacts you, listens, looks at the basement only if you invite it, and puts its own estimate in writing.