Short answer
Elwood has the oldest housing in the Anderson area, with a median year built of 1950 and about 40% of homes built before 1940 (Census ACS). It also has very wet ground: the soil survey estimates a seasonal water table within about a foot under 78% of sampled land, and 92% is rated very limited for basements (USDA NRCS). Old foundations and old drains on saturated till leak in predictable ways.
Elwood’s housing grew up early, and much of it is still standing. Older basements were built before modern footing drains, damp-proofing and sump pits were standard, and many have had pieces added over the decades. On ground that holds water most springs, that history shows up as water at the walls and floor, and sometimes as walls that have started to move.
Elwood in numbers
- 1950: median year homes were built (40% before 1940, 77% before 1980)
- 92% of sampled land rated very limited for basements
- 78% somewhat poorly to very poorly drained
- 78% with an estimated seasonal water table within about a foot, 92% within 3 feet
- 42.5 inches of precipitation a year at the nearest NOAA station
| Main soils in our sample | Share of points |
|---|---|
| Crosby silt loam, fine-loamy subsoil, 0 to 2 percent slopes | 56% |
| Miami silt loam, 2 to 6 percent slopes, eroded | 12% |
| Cyclone silt loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes | 10% |
| Fox silt loam, till substratum, 2 to 6 percent slopes | 8% |
| Mahalasville silty clay loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes | 6% |
Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates. Soil figures are USDA NRCS soil-survey estimates for 50 random points inside Elwood’s Census boundary; they describe mapped areas, not any single lot, and “very limited” is a building-suitability rating, not proof that basements leak. Rainfall: NOAA 1991-2020 normals, Elwood station, about 1 miles away. Methods: data and methods.
The ground
More than half of sampled points (56%) are Crosby silt loam, somewhat poorly drained over dense till, with Cyclone silt loam adding poorly drained ground. Better-drained Miami silt loam on gentle slopes covers about 12%. Overall, 78% of sampled land falls in the poorly drained classes, and the soil survey estimates a seasonal water table within about a foot at 78% of points and within 3 feet at 92%.
The houses
The median Elwood home was built in 1950. About 40% predate 1940, 62% predate 1960 and 77% predate 1980 (Census ACS). Foundations from those decades include brick, early poured concrete and hollow block, often with clay tile footing drains that have long since silted up or broken, and downspouts piped into old underground lines.
What tends to go wrong
- Water along the base of the walls each spring as old footing drains fail. See water at the floor-wall joint.
- Water rising through cracked or thin older floors. See water through the floor.
- Block walls with stair-step or horizontal cracks under saturated soil pressure. See bowing walls.
- Downspouts emptying into buried lines that dump water at the foundation.
The local angle
In a house this age, find out what drainage exists before choosing a fix. Ask whether the original footing drain still has an outlet, whether a sump was ever added, and where old downspout lines go. A camera through an old line, or a small test hole beside the footing, often answers in an hour what would otherwise be guesswork. Older brick and stone foundations also need care: sealing them completely can trap moisture, so drainage that lets the wall dry is usually preferred.
What usually fixes it
Disconnect old underground downspout lines and extend downspouts above ground. Then interior drain tile with a sump pump and a backup handles water from below on most of these lots. Where walls have moved, reinforce them along with the drainage work, not instead of it.
Guides to each fix: interior drain tile, sump pumps, battery backups, crack repair, bowing walls, exterior waterproofing, yard drainage. Prices are on the cost page.
Compare nearby
Anderson, Alexandria, Edgewood. For the bigger picture, read why Anderson basements leak.
Start with what you’re seeing, then check typical costs.