water in basement.

[lbteixe]

I have a small water problem in my basement. I'm almost 100% certain that it is from rain or snow melting and not from high water tables. This water does not happen quite often. I've been thinking of installing a french drain around the perimeter of the house and also connecting my downspouts to it. How deep do I have to go with the perimeter drain. I am going to have a dry well professionally installed for these drains to dump into. I live in the Northeast and am concerned on whether I have to go below the frost level with the perimeter drains.

 

[jheidt2543]

If the drain tile is installed at the exterior side of your basement wall, the top of the pipe should be below the basement floor slab. An alternative is to install the drain tile along the inside face of the basement wall. This means cutting the floor slab all the way around the wall perimeter about 8" to 12" wide to get the pipe installed. Then patch the floor and caulk the joint.

In both cases, the drain tile is run into a sump basin. On the exterior the basin is a "french drain" (no bottom in it so the water can percolate into the soil). On the interior the basin should have a sump pump in it with a float operated switch for automatic operation.

Both of these are costly and really only needed IF the water is due to a high groundwater table. I would first make sure that the problem is not surface water. Check the grading around your foundation. Make sure that the soil slopes away from your foundation with at least a 2% slope. Put longer runners on your downspouts to direct the water away from the foundation.

Good luck!

 

[reddog99o]

I unequivocally agree with JHEIDT2543. If you go the exterior French Drain Route, while the excavation is completed and obviously prior to backfill, coat the exterior of the wall with a waterproofing material. Living in the Northeast is a great resource in Chapman Waterproofing, they do the work, but will also vend materials. They are located on Columbia Road, in Dorchester, Ma. Dorchester is a Boston neighborhood. They and their products are as good as they get.

Good Luck, R.A. Hassett, P.E.
rah1616@hotmail.com

 

[stadry]

you don't mention whether the basement walls are of block or poured concrete,,, if concrete & water's coming in thru the cracks, you can probably have the crack injected w/hydrophyllic polyurethane & that'll stop water infiltration,,, if block, your choice is excavating outside down to 1/2h of the footer, installing perf 4" ads on stone bedding, wrap pipe & cover w/filter fabric, slope pipe to exterior sump in which you place a 1/2hp zoeller or equivalent pump,,, don't forget to pressure wash the walls & coat them w/trowel-on waterproofing mastic covered w/waffleboard,,, inside, the alternative is breaking the floor, installing same piping system, drilling web & cells of blocks to drain water that's infiltrated,,,, used to do these - better you call a pro - look under waterproofing or check nawsrc.com - national assoc waterproofing structural repair contractors,,, at your/our ages, we don't need to be lifting 5g buckets of mud depending on where you are in the ne, may be able to recommend someone to you - best