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Stop Basement Flooding #11

Open juellez opened 9 years ago

juellez commented 9 years ago

Problem: Lawns that are flat or slope toward the house permit surface water (rain and melting snow) to drain down against basement walls. Water enters through cracks or other openings in the walls and causes wet spots on the walls or standing water on the floor.

Solution: Slope the ground away from the outside foundation (about one inch per foot). Extend the slope for at least ten feet. Seed it with a good lawn grass. Sodding is a common practice and prevents the washing away of newly graded areas during heavy rains. Where a large area of land slopes toward the house, surface drainage should be intercepted and redirected some distance from the house. Dig a shallow, half-round drainage ditch or depression designed to route the water around the house. Sod the ditch or plant grass in it. If even a shallow ditch is objectionable, drainage tiles, with one or more catch basins at low spots, may be installed.


Problem: Dense shrubbery and other plantings around the basement walls prevent good ventilation.

Solution: Trim heavy growths of shrubbery so that soil gets more sunlight and dries quicker. When digging up the plantings, remove any pieces of masonry, mortar, or other material buried near the house after the basement was excavated.


Problem: Unprotected basement window wells act like cisterns during heavy storms, permitting water to seep in around window frames and below windows.

Solution: Windows or parts of windows below grade should be protected by metal or masonry window wells, with bottoms consisting of gravel to permit good drainage. Clear plastic bubbles are available to cover the entire window well like an awning.


Under ideal conditions, a house should be situated so that even during rainy seasons the subsurface or ground water level is at least ten feet below the finished grade--well below the average basement floor.

In some cases, it is impossible to completely eliminate dampness from a basement whose construction did not take into consideration the basic principles of good drainage. Only after soil borings have been done can anyone knowledgeably predict which, if any, course of action has a chance for success.

Redirect Water Away From Foundation

The various exterior waterproofing barriers have varying levels of effectiveness in protecting the outside wall areas. But wall anti-leaking barriers do not affect water penetration due to water accumulation at the footer or floor level. The ideal solution to this problem lies in directing the accumulation of water away from the foundation or into drainage or pumping systems.

Install An Interior Drainage System

To control leakage in the basement, you may install a drainage system on the inner side of the foundation. The floor is broken up along the perimeter of the basement wall and drain tile is placed in a trench that carries the water to a discharge point, or sump pump, which takes the water away from the house.

With hollow block walls, holes may be drilled at the bottom to allow the water to pass into the drain pipe and relieve the water pressure. The trench may then be filled with gravel and the floor replaced or recemented.

If installed correctly this system will remove basement leakage water. Channels may also be installed on the basement floor to take the water away through a sump pump.

Apply Waterproofing Compounds To Interior Walls

Only in cases where mild and occasional capillary seepage occurs are applications of waterproofing paint or other interior compounds likely to provide any lasting degree of improvement in achieving a dry basement.

Capillary waterproofing materials can be applied to either exterior or interior wall and floor surfaces. If properly applied, they will penetrate several inches into concrete and close off capillaries or minor cracks by forming crystals in the presence of water. Do-it-yourselfers should carefully read the label to determine the waterproofing product's limitations and terms of any guarantee promised. Waterproofing paint is most effective if applied directly over cement; not existing painted walls.


http://www.webdesignpros.net/consult/pdffiles/Frenchdrains.pdf

juellez commented 9 years ago

a prereq for #10 and #4

juellez commented 9 years ago

Researched installing a Sump Pump: avg cost when hiring out. $629 - $817

juellez commented 9 years ago

And get a consultant in to assess the property for drainage. Some free estimate options:

And more fun reading: http://www.landscapeeast.com/blog/portland-oregon-landscapers-talk-drainage-systems-by-alex-konopka-at-landscape-east-west-2014-01

juellez commented 9 years ago

DRY CREEK BED To manage flow of rain water / down spouts away from house. http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/outdoors/landscaping/how-to-install-a-dry-creek-bed -- lots of digging, weed fabric & rocks

FRENCH DRAIN

SLOPE YARD Problem: Flat lawns or lawns that slope toward your home allow surface water, such as melting snow and rain, to drain down against basement walls. Then, water enters through cracks or other wall openings, causing wet spots on your basement walls or even standing water on your floor.

Solution: Try to adjust the slope of your lawn so that it’s heading away from your outside foundation at an angle of about one inch per foot. You should try to extend the slope near your house for at least ten feet. Then, plant grass seed (sodding) so that grass and the roots will prevent the dirt from loosening and washing away newly graded areas when it rains.

Sometimes, the area of land that slopes towards a house will be too big to fix by re-sloping. When that happens, surface drainage should be intercepted and redirected so that it’s carried away from the house. You can do this yourself by digging a shallow, half-round drainage ditch or depression that routes the water around your home. Then, plant grass in it. You can also install catch basins at several low spots.

INTERIOR DRAIN I have estimates from local inspector who came and assessed the basement. Involves removing drywall to get access to the place where the walls meet the floor. The floor is dug out and a drain is put in. New wall is installed (in place of drywall) that doesn't allow growth of mold. Drains along the wall then terminate near floor drain (in the bathroom) and sump-pump is installed. As I remember it, it would have been ~$6-8k to do the full basement, but he said they could do two walls to start, the North and East -- protecting the "finished" room and war room.