Is there a way to tell if a house you are interested in has flooded in the past? (houses)

[Fighting Fungus]

Looking to buy a house and was wondering what are the signs that a house has flooded before? I am looking at some homes in park ridge and know that area has some flood problems. Obviously I would hire an inspector to look at the house before buying, but is there anything I could look for.

[Lookout Kid]

Part of this depends on what you mean by "flooded". Many, many houses have had water in the basement during bad storms, but have never been submerged by any floodwater. In fact, most houses that are older have at least minor seepage issues during major rain events, even if it's just dampness or puddles.

You can fairly easily tell where river flooding is an issue by looking at flood maps. Additionally, you can often find media accounts of major flood events.

Urban runoff is a more common flooding problem, however, and it can be hard to tell what areas will have problems with stormwater. I tend to look at site contours and elevations, but that is difficult in a metro area that is mostly flat.

Sometimes you can see signs of previous water in the basement. If cardboard boxes are stored on the floor, do they have water lines? Are there other signs that water was present? Homeowners are supposed to disclose water in basements when they sell, but many ignore minor issues.