| Author |
Message |
    
Eire
Citizen
Username: Eire
Post Number: 141
Registered: 7-2005
| | Posted on Monday, April 24, 2006 - 4:45 pm: | 
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Hi all,
Feel free to reference my first question about a potentially wet basement back in July 05 (sigh). Here are the specs: 100 year old house, situated at the base of another street, so water cascades down right around our driveway. According to neighbors, the basement used to have water gushing in, until the township (?) put a higher curb in front of the house to catch the water coming down towards us.
We've had several really tough rain storms, and snow melting, etc., and nothing - NOTHING - until yesterday. Looks like it's coming in through the floor, not the walls.
Laugh if you will, but we have neither a french drain nor a sump pump. Looks like at the very least we'll have to do something about the floor. It really looks like no water has come in from the wall.
Are we crazy not to just do a french drain/sump pump now, even though it will mean taking down the newly-finished basement wall(s)?
Sounds like this is going to cost a fortune.
Any feedback appreciated. Thanks! |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 7386
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, April 24, 2006 - 5:12 pm: |
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When it rains like this, we get water. The ground is saturated and it has nowhere else to go. I guess it depends on your tolerance level and whether or not you want a finished basement (I'm assuming you don't have one now or your post would be much more upset). Also, depending on your walls and floor, what seems like it's coming up thru the floors could be coming in thru walls and seeping under the floor tiles until it surfaces in the middle of the room. That's what we get.
I'd talk to a landscaper first. Property grading can take care of a lot. Oh, and buy a wet vac. Best investment we ever made. |
Case
Citizen
Username: Case
Post Number: 1410
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Monday, April 24, 2006 - 6:07 pm: |
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Its possible that a sump pump by itself may help a lot - it'll sure be a lot cheaper than french drains. I may do a sump pump this summer, in connection with some other plumbing work. |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 11306
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, April 24, 2006 - 6:29 pm: |
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In the spring the water table is higher than at other times of the year. Sometimes after a heavy rain you can get leakage through the floor, although it is much more common to get the leaking where the wall and the floor meet.
I didn't use to believe this until I saw water actually shooting up through a cracked basement floor at least twelve inchs at a neighbor's house. It looked like a mini Old Faithful. Hydrostatic pressure is a remarkable thing.
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Darren Say Grrrrrrrr
Citizen
Username: Darrensager
Post Number: 386
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Monday, April 24, 2006 - 7:22 pm: |
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Check your gutters. Make sure they are functioning properly and they will draw the water away from the home and not dump it right next to the foundation, giving it a better chance of coming into your basement.
Most homeowners don't realize that most repairs and issues of their home come from not managing the water that comes off of it. Proper water management will save you lots of $$$$.
Check your gutters.
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Jgberkeley
Citizen
Username: Jgberkeley
Post Number: 4549
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, April 24, 2006 - 8:30 pm: |
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You are looking at hydrostatic water pressure from the raise in the water table and other sources.
Yard grading is something you have to look at, however, grade all you want, come the Spring and the water table rises you will have leaks from the floor.
We put in French drains, two sumps, two pumps and have not had a problem in 9 years.
Good luck.
George |
Eire
Citizen
Username: Eire
Post Number: 143
Registered: 7-2005
| | Posted on Monday, April 24, 2006 - 8:39 pm: |
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First, yes our basement is finished. So, I'm pretending not to be losing it totally. We're upset, alright.
We already did new gutters in July, checked into proper grading, got a really good de-humidifier, etc. etc.... We pretty thoroughly checked as much as we could see where the floors and wall meet, near where the water was, and everything was really dry... after pulling up the carpet, which was slushy, we could see wet spots on the cement floor, which were surrounded by dry spots.
I'm thinking (and hoping, believe me), that a sump pump alone could do it -- but my question is whether we're essentially running from something (french drains) that will eventually just catch up with us. It'll mean taking down the walls and putting new walls back up, patching the cement floor, etc. etc...
Our finished basement is one of the things I really love about this house. Oy.
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Jgberkeley
Citizen
Username: Jgberkeley
Post Number: 4550
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, April 24, 2006 - 8:43 pm: |
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The french drains can be put in without taking down your walls.
Our pipe trenches are 14" from the block walls to get beyond the foundation footings.
The whole idea is to allow the water a place to go, control that movement and pump out the result. Sumps only are just a cheap out and you will regret not solving the problem.
Call B-dry systems and get going.
Later,
George |
Eire
Citizen
Username: Eire
Post Number: 145
Registered: 7-2005
| | Posted on Monday, April 24, 2006 - 8:47 pm: |
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do you have contact info for b-dry?
thanks |
Jgberkeley
Citizen
Username: Jgberkeley
Post Number: 4551
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, April 24, 2006 - 11:27 pm: |
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None recent. Big ad in the Yellow pages.
It is a national firm so Google should hit on it. |
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