Subdivisions that were hit by the flood last year

[betcsbirds]

Here in the upper Midwest (IL) sump pumps mean security... they are routinely put into new homes as protection against a flood. I think the idea that they are only put in AFTER flooding occurs and that they imply a wet basement problem is erroneous. What you should look for in a basement is evidence of water damage on walls and floors and a musty smell. I am typing this in a house I've lived in for 9 years and the only flood that happened was prior to my purchase of it when the sump pump went OUT while the previous owners were out of town. I have a sump pump and a battery back up pump and in all these years have had not one drop of water in my basement in spite of lots of spring rain every year. So be happy if any house you are looking at has a pump already... it will save you money and worry in the long run.

[CountryGirl2b=]

Honestly, basements are a rarity here in Middle TN. So not many sump pumps either.

[artemis]

I agree with Country.

Besides, the kind of flooding we had wouldn't have been able to keep up with the water that some neighborhoods had.

[Drake744]

Originally Posted by CountryGirl2b=

Honestly, basements are a rarity here in Middle TN. So not many sump pumps either.

Weird how perception can make people see things differently. I'm 30 and the house I grew up in here had a basement so I assumed most homes did. As I got older I realized that basically every other house I went to (friends, family, whatever) didn't have them. They had "downstairs" but not an actual basement.

[CountryGirl2b=]

This is the first house I've lived in without a basement. Storage Unit companies are really doing well here! I DO miss it. Such a wonderful hiding place for 'stuff'. I liberated all my 'stuff' from the storage unit where it had lived FAR too long for $100 a month and now it's in the garage. My car is NOT happy about it. I do MISS my basement.

I did look at some houses in Cincinnati before deciding on Nashville and MOST of those homes had basements but several were 'scary' ones . . . .

[Decades]

Most of the homes in Nashville and surrounding area built before 1960 have basements, especially pre-1950 homes. Many of those homes come with sump pumps, as water can be an issue during heavy rains.

Google Earth is good way to check for homes that had water issues from the May 2010 flood. Use the historical feature to scan back in time, GE took a picture of the Nashville area the day after the flood.. It is easy to see where there was high water.