A wet basement is a problem. That moisture will make its way up through your house, creating mold and mildew problems that contaminate the air you're breathing everyday. And as we tighten up houses with better insulation and air sealing, that moisture becomes a bigger problem for the homeowners.
This house is at the bottom of a hill and while the basement is dry with our current drought, when I looked at it in late spring, it was pretty wet. The previous owners had cut a homemade channel across the basement to steer the water into a low spot. But it’s not an elegant fix and we want to ensure the new owners won’t have any water worries.
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| DIY basement drainage |
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| Trench around entire perimeter |
If youve been following for awhile, you know the drill. Dave from Concrete Prescriptions begins by jackhammering the concrete around the perimeter and then hand digs a trench all the way around the house. This will create a catch basin for any water entering the house.
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| Digging out the trench is a huge job |
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| So much drainage pipe is needed for the perimeter of the basement! |
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| The pipe is installed in the trench and pitched towards the sump pit |
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| Everything gets covered with more gravel |
The walls get covered with 20 mil plastic, so any water that seeps in will get sent directly to the drainage pipe.
Then the entire drainage system gets covered with concrete, for a nice, stable floor.
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| The trench gets backfilled with concrete for a nice smooth floor |
When the water begins to rise, the sump pump turns on and the water gets sent out of the building. How great is that?
