Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey and masonry expert Mark McCullough explain a variety of culprits and solutions for basements that are struggling with water issues. Water in the basement is either surface water or sub-surface water.
What Causes Wet Basements?
There are generally two causes of wet basements outside of the obvious plumbing leak or condensation issues: surface water and subsurface water. Surface water includes water that collects at the base of the foundation, such as rainwater puddling below the eaves. Subsurface water is water that flows up from underneath the foundation due to rising water tables around the home. Luckily, there are solutions for both.
Surface Water Solutions
Surface water solutions can often be solved relatively quickly. Solutions often involve adding gutters, extending downspouts, or regrading the yard so water flows away from the home. They can also involve repairing foundation cracks or adding trenches and swales.
Subsurface Water Solutions
Subsurface water solutions are easiest to solve when the home is new. When this is the case, the ground around the foundation can be excavated and a french drain can be installed. This drain involves stone, landscape fabric, and perforated pipe, and the water collects in the pipe and is shuttled off to a dry well elsewhere on the property. Also, this is a great time to consider rubberized basement waterproofing options.
Interior French Drains
When it’s impossible to add a French drain around the outside of a foundation, one can be added inside. To do so, a contractor will cut a trench in the basement along the walls. The perforated pipe will be installed inside the drain to shuttle water to one corner of the home. That’s where a sump pump takes over.
Sump Pump Solutions
With interior French drains, a sump pump can provide the solution necessary for getting rid of the water. The pumps sit in a basin below the floor level. As water collects in the basin, a mechanical float lifts and activates the pump. The pump then pushes the water out of the home, similar to how a bilge pump bails out a boat.
Sump Pump Considerations
There are two considerations to keep in mind with sump pumps. First, they need a check valve. Otherwise, the water will run back down the pipe and reactivate the pump. Also, they should have a battery backup solution that allows them to continue running if the power goes out.
Subfloor Solutions
There are also subfloor materials that can help with wet basements. These materials are generally OSB material laminated on top of foam or plastic. The foam or plastic works as the waterproof barrier while the OSB serves as the subfloor. This is a great solution for basements with damp or wet floors.
Resources
Surface water requires water management solutions. These solutions could include, but aren’t limited to, leveling your yard, adding swales, repositioning your downspouts, and repairing any cracks in your foundation.
Subsurface water is groundwater that is coming into the basement via the floor as the water table rises. Solutions for subsurface water include French drains, sump pumps, and dry wells. Subflooring material with a raised rubber base can be used as a preventive measure for moisture.