On May 30, 12:27�pm, wrote:
On May 29, 9:02 am, "dnoyeB" wrote:





On Mon, 28 May 2007 04:26:54 -0700, Vickie wrote:
We've owned this house (split level) since 1988 and have never had any
basement water issue until the Nor'Easter in April when we had 9" of
rain. *In one area the water was coming in pretty fast, enough to
watch it flow in. *This was where the basement steps meet the floor.

We corralled the water using water-wicking cloth tubes (QuikWick) and
putting a utility pump inside to drain out the water flowing in.
(Once every 4 years or so we'd see a teenie puddle of water in a
corner but never anything like this.)

Our gutters are good and they drain away from the house. *We don't see
any cracks and the walls don't have efflorescence that we can see.

Incidentally, most of the neighbors also had problems who had never
had problems before as well. *(Most neighbors do not have sump pumps/
drains either.)

We called some basement waterproofing companies and their solution is
French Drains with a sump pump. *We gave one company a deposit for a
French Drain system but are now having second thoughts. *I'm concerned
that adding an interior trench, making weep holes in the cinder block
and digging a sump pump ditch will be inviting in water regularly to
keep up with when I only had a problem once. *The contractor agreed to
do it without the weep holes, if we'd prefer it that way. *I'm getting
concerned about the whole thing. *I have already purchased a battery
backup sump pump as well.

I'm afraid we're going to be inviting in water that would otherwise
not come in and be dependant on the sump system to remove it.

A contractor I had here for another project, (not a basement water
contractor), suggested to drill a small opening in the basement floor
and see if there's gravel underneath. *If there was then there was no
need for the trenches and we could just do the sump pump. *We tried to
drill a hole but the floor is really hard and we couldn't make any
progress with the masonry drill bits.
If there was gravel under the basement cement floor would the sump
pump work without the french drain part?

I'd like to get input from people more familiar with this.

Is this all overkill for a one-time occurrence or is a French Drain
system the right plan?

Thanks-
Vickie

Basement drainage systems are not about removing water, they are about
removing water pressure. *If you do not have water pressure pushing on
your walls, then the piping system should not move that much water. *If
you do have pressure, then ignorning it so long as you cant see the water
coming in is akin to burying your head in the sand. *The problem still
exists.

Putting in a sump without drains is a waste of money IMHO. *If your gonna
do a thing, do it right. *If you dont add the piping, it wont fix your
problem. *You need something to catch a flash flood of sorts. *If there
are no pipes, then it will take a long time for water to weep across the
basement to the sump pit. *during that time there will be pressure and
water will be coming in as it is now.

But apparently in her case, there has been only 1 water problem in 20
years and it was coming in at one specific spot. * In this case,
putting a sump pit in that one area could very well work, as the water
doesn't have to come from all areas of the basement., it will be right
near the one trouble spot.





Personally what I would do is put in the sump if you wish, and run just 1
weeping tile from under/around the location where the water is entering
now, to the sump pit. *Then if/when you find new locations that leak, add
new weeping tile. *I dont think it should cost any more to add these pipes
one at a time so long as you consider expansion when you add the first.
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well every 4 years they get other water in. apparently in a different
spot in the basement.

no one has to do anything. maybe being 50 and spending a lifetime of
patches today I prefer to do it right, do it once, then forget about
it and relax. often its less work hassle and cost.

The contractor who recommended against the weep holes that floors me.

they only do anything if water has infiltrated the wall, and you
REALLY DONT want water trapped in the wall.