Hello all,

I have a question on adding a french drain around part of my basement
that was re-inforced with vertical steel I-beams. The beams go into the
basement floor next to the wall and touch the wall, thereby holding the
wall up (long story, there was a long horizontal crack, anyway that's
ok now).

I don't want to cut into the floor and weaken the foundations of the
beams. But I might want to add a french drain, as on really wet days it
does leak a little.

So I was thinking of adding a raised barrier, away from the wall an
inch or two, all the way round, skirting the beams where they protrude
out, and then drop down into a regular drain which exists around the
corner.

Wondering what materials to use and to seal the stuff from coming out.
Maybe a plastic barrier sealed in with cement, and then painted with
waterproof paint inside on the side facing the wall?

Thanks for any ideas,

Dean

THe only way to do it right is the outside of the house.


"dean" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hello all,

I have a question on adding a french drain around part of my basement
that was re-inforced with vertical steel I-beams. The beams go into the
basement floor next to the wall and touch the wall, thereby holding the
wall up (long story, there was a long horizontal crack, anyway that's
ok now).

I don't want to cut into the floor and weaken the foundations of the
beams. But I might want to add a french drain, as on really wet days it
does leak a little.

So I was thinking of adding a raised barrier, away from the wall an
inch or two, all the way round, skirting the beams where they protrude
out, and then drop down into a regular drain which exists around the
corner.

Wondering what materials to use and to seal the stuff from coming out.
Maybe a plastic barrier sealed in with cement, and then painted with
waterproof paint inside on the side facing the wall?

Thanks for any ideas,

Dean

"dean" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hello all,

I have a question on adding a french drain around part of my basement
that was re-inforced with vertical steel I-beams. The beams go into the
basement floor next to the wall and touch the wall, thereby holding the
wall up (long story, there was a long horizontal crack, anyway that's
ok now).

I don't want to cut into the floor and weaken the foundations of the
beams. But I might want to add a french drain, as on really wet days it
does leak a little.

So I was thinking of adding a raised barrier, away from the wall an
inch or two, all the way round, skirting the beams where they protrude
out, and then drop down into a regular drain which exists around the
corner.

Wondering what materials to use and to seal the stuff from coming out.
Maybe a plastic barrier sealed in with cement, and then painted with
waterproof paint inside on the side facing the wall?

Thanks for any ideas,

Dean


All of the French drains I have seen go on the outside of the wall.

dean wrote:
Hello all,

I have a question on adding a french drain around part of my basement
that was re-inforced with vertical steel I-beams. The beams go into the
basement floor next to the wall and touch the wall, thereby holding the
wall up (long story, there was a long horizontal crack, anyway that's
ok now).

I don't want to cut into the floor and weaken the foundations of the
beams. But I might want to add a french drain, as on really wet days it
does leak a little.

So I was thinking of adding a raised barrier, away from the wall an
inch or two, all the way round, skirting the beams where they protrude
out, and then drop down into a regular drain which exists around the
corner.

Wondering what materials to use and to seal the stuff from coming out.
Maybe a plastic barrier sealed in with cement, and then painted with
waterproof paint inside on the side facing the wall?

Thanks for any ideas,

Dean

I've seen similar on some home improvement hints website within the
past few months; they kind of made a triangle, by putting a hypotenuse
between the wall and the floor and taking the water out somewhere. So
it's not a completely wacky idea. I guess their leak was coming up
from below, you might have to do differently, it sounds like.

Doing it outside my wall entiles removing a $70K deck, and another
50-100K of digging and wall work. That's not going to happen. Its
already much better that it was, since we regraded and put in new
gutters, etc. But the inside wall already has a groove cut around the
edge, I'm not sure it that's called a french drain or not.

Dean

Yep you probably have a french drain under there. You need to find out
where the outlet is. It is probably plugged. It should be outside the low
corner of your house.


"dean" wrote in message
oups.com...
Doing it outside my wall entiles removing a $70K deck, and another
50-100K of digging and wall work. That's not going to happen. Its
already much better that it was, since we regraded and put in new
gutters, etc. But the inside wall already has a groove cut around the
edge, I'm not sure it that's called a french drain or not.

Dean

No, it channels into the sump pump hole.

On 16 Dec 2005 11:31:01 -0800, "dean" wrote:

Doing it outside my wall entiles removing a $70K deck, and another

$70 for a new K deck doesn't seem like a lot of money to me, but maybe
you have a sentimental attachment to the one you have.

50-100K of digging and wall work. That's not going to happen. Its
already much better that it was, since we regraded and put in new
gutters, etc. But the inside wall already has a groove cut around the
edge, I'm not sure it that's called a french drain or not.

My good friend got a French drain, at the base of her inside walls, a
year or two ago, and she's quite happy with it. I never saw her
basement when it was wet, but she says it got quite wet. Hers I
guess has a channel next to the outside wall, and I guess the put in
black plastic? grills, 2 or 3 inches by 10 or 12 inches iirc, all in a
row.

Because of the grills, I don't know how deep the gutter is.

I didn't have the energy to read your plans because I would be totally
speculating on whether they are good or not..... Ok I read it, and I
have no idea if this is a good suggestion, How about the gutter
around most of the area to be done, and using the levees only around
the the beams. Oh, I get it, bad idea, no way to empty more than
one section of gutter.

If the water is coming in through the porous walls, I'm a big believer
in waterproof paint for basement walls. I painted my grandmother's
basement with this stuff in 1963 and it was enough to dry the
basement. Although she moved 2 years later and I don't know how long
it lasted.. Surely they have even better paint 40 years later.

Dean


Remove NOPSAM to email me. Please let
me know if you have posted also.

So it might be plugged. Call rooter router and have them check it out? If
you already have a french drain why add one.

Just to make sure we understand each other, under the concrete floor around
the perimeter there should be gravel and perforated pipe that circles your
basement and both ends should terminate at the sump pump. That is your
inner french drain. You can test to see if it is working with a hose. Pick
places in your basement where the groove is and inject water and see if it
reaches the sump. If it doesn't it is plugged and you should be able to
find the bad spot and maybe even fix it.

If you are lucky there is also a pipe around the outside of the house.
there would be in my neighborhood. Grab a shovel and dig. That one is
probably plugged too.


"dean" wrote in message
oups.com...
No, it channels into the sump pump hole.

They are now called "FREEDOM DRAINS" and the patriot act is draining your
freedoms while you idiots watched with mouths agape.
"dean" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hello all,

I have a question on adding a french drain around part of my basement
that was re-inforced with vertical steel I-beams. The beams go into the
basement floor next to the wall and touch the wall, thereby holding the
wall up (long story, there was a long horizontal crack, anyway that's
ok now).

I don't want to cut into the floor and weaken the foundations of the
beams. But I might want to add a french drain, as on really wet days it
does leak a little.

So I was thinking of adding a raised barrier, away from the wall an
inch or two, all the way round, skirting the beams where they protrude
out, and then drop down into a regular drain which exists around the
corner.

Wondering what materials to use and to seal the stuff from coming out.
Maybe a plastic barrier sealed in with cement, and then painted with
waterproof paint inside on the side facing the wall?

Thanks for any ideas,

Dean