Short answer
Lapel has the wettest ground in our sample of the Anderson area: every sampled point is rated very limited for basements, 98% falls in the poorly drained classes, and the soil survey estimates a seasonal water table within about a foot at 98% of points (USDA NRCS). For basements here, water from below is the expected condition, so drainage, a well-sized sump and a backup are the baseline.
In most towns, a wet basement is a problem some houses have. In Lapel, the soil data says the ground under almost every house holds water near the surface for part of the year. That changes the question from “will water reach the basement?” to “is the system that handles it big enough and reliable enough?”
Lapel in numbers
- 1975: median year homes were built (27% before 1940, 58% before 1980)
- 100% of sampled land rated very limited for basements
- 98% somewhat poorly to very poorly drained
- 98% with an estimated seasonal water table within about a foot, 100% within 3 feet
- 42.1 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 | 54% |
| Cyclone silt loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes | 44% |
| Miami silt loam, 2 to 6 percent slopes, eroded | 2% |
Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates. Soil figures are USDA NRCS soil-survey estimates for 50 random points inside Lapel’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, Lapel 4 S station, about 2 miles away. Methods: data and methods.
The ground
Just two soils make up almost all of our sample: Crosby silt loam (54% of points), somewhat poorly drained, and Cyclone silt loam (44%), poorly drained, both on flat glacial till. The result is 98% of sampled land in the poorly drained classes and an estimated seasonal water table within about a foot at 98% of points, within 3 feet at all of them.
The houses
The median Lapel home was built in 1975. About 27% predate 1940 and 58% predate 1980 (Census ACS). About 70% are owner-occupied. Older homes may have clay footing drains; newer ones usually have plastic drains and a sump.
What tends to go wrong
- Water rising through the floor and at the floor-wall joint for weeks each spring.
- Sump pumps that run almost continuously in wet seasons and wear out early.
- Flooding when the power goes out in a storm and there’s no backup.
The local angle
On ground this wet, size everything for the worst week, not the average one. Ask how the drain tile covers the whole perimeter, whether lines under the slab are needed where water rises mid-floor, how the pump’s rated flow compares with the pit’s refill rate in spring, and how long the backup runs if the power is out overnight. A high-water alarm is worth adding to any pit here.
What usually fixes it
Full-perimeter interior drain tile, often with under-slab lines; a pump sized for spring inflow; a battery backup or water-powered backup; and a discharge that ends well away from the house on ground that slopes away. Surface fixes still help by keeping roof water out of ground that’s already full.
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, Pendleton, Fortville, Ingalls. For the bigger picture, read why Anderson basements leak.
Check typical costs and what you’re seeing.