The Guide for avoiding WATER in basements. Conditions, causes and the solutions

The Guide to avoid WATER in BASEMENTS, the causes and sources of this WATER.

What are the conditions? Where does the water come from? Can there be identifiable sources?

Is the only solution is to dig around the foundations? Change the Foundation DRAINS? And.....try to waterproof the poured in place CONCRETE or Foundation BLOCKS?

What about the effects of positive or negative SLOPES around the building?

Has the insulation anything to do with the formation of cracks in cold freezing climates?

Has the water soaked-up grounds in warmer climates concurs to unavoidable leaks in basements?

What about the structures of HOMES and Buildings in permanent Permafrost and what happens about condensation in the floors if there are not any insulated basements under the building?

This GUIDE Section will develop the different subjects and give short, but simple improvements and correctives.

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So, what must be done to avoid humidity and water in basements?

If eventually, humidity or water appears in the basement

a) Unhook the down spouts of the eves from any pipe or drain underground.

b) Install elbows and out of ground extensions to the down spouts.

c) Get rid of all low ground or crushed stone against the foundations.

d) Add top soil or clay, even heighten the sod around the building, against the foundations to change the negative slopes going in the direction of the building to positive slopes toward the street and property lines.

e) If the basement windowsills in the concrete foundation are too low to be able to embank the soil all around the house, add basement window wells.

f) Lastly, if this is insufficient, install a sump pump with a depth of at least 27" to 30" inch deep. Deep enough to bring down the water table (phreatic table) under the basement slab in order that when the pump starts at the high control level, the water level under the slab be at least 6" inch lower than the bottom/underneath the basement floor.

g) To dig around the house to change the foundation drains, (French drains) around the house serves nothing if the above points are not respected. In the majority of cases, it is not that the foundation drains are blocked; it is that the drains are overflowed with more than 10 times too much water and have been wet for 10, 20, 30 years or more.

Eventually, humidity or water appears through the porous concrete of the foundation. (1/2" inch per year)

Important data:

The four (4) down spouts coming from the eves at the four (4) corners are almost of the same dimension as the 4" inch foundation drain installed near the foundations.

In addition, during intense rainfalls, a vertical pipe gives three times more flow than an accordion shaped pipe installed horizontally.

Four (4) down spouts X three (3) times more flow = twelve (12) more flow than the capacity of the foundation drain.

If in addition the runoffs flows of the lot and of the surrounding land are added, it is impossible that a foundation drain suffice.

Second important data to avoid again water in basements:

The "French" foundation drains should NEVER be used as a pluvial evacuation sewer or drainpipe. If it is done, see here what happens: windowsills Click me!

Foundation drains are used mainly to dry-up the soils before the freeze-up of winter to avoid formation of cracks in the foundations, mainly if they are properly insulated. Return to Home Page from Water in Basements.