Damp basements propagate mildew and mould. Both cause health problems. What is a piece of good news for homeowners? They can make their basement waterproof with no major renovation. Waterproof paint, dehumidifiers, and correct landscaping techniques can keep the basement free of water and moisture.
What about homeowners who have tried whatever they could for waterproofing their basement, and nothing has worked? What do they need to do? A possibility is installing a basement water drainage system with the help of Sydney Plumber. Such a system forces excess groundwater away from their house. What is a goodexterior basement drainage systemfor a house? It’s an exterior French drain.
What is an exterior French Drain?
In short, a French drain is a basement gutter drainage system. This channel that has rocks transports water off a house. The location of this trench is about the problem parts of the foundation of a house. It grabs the water and directs it somewhere else before it gets the chance to touch the house.
This basement drainage channelmust have a
- Width of 12 + inches
- Greater depth than the basement floor
More about an exterior French Drain
A coat of gravel partly fills this trench. The installers lay a perforated PVC pipe about the perimeter of the foundation. A common part of this basement drainage system designprocess is adding some kind of waterproofing to the basement wall’s outside. It is a great advantage of this system.
The perforated holes must face downward. This ensures that the groundwater rises into the pipe. Laying the pipe any other way won’t let water leave the pipe till it’s filled with water. What if installers install the drainpipe such that the weep holes face upwards? The water level must rise all the way to the pipe’s top for the pipe to pick up any water.
First, installers will lay a landscaping fabric to ensure that the perforated PVC does not clog. Then, they will fill the trench with gravel. They can add a thin coating of topsoil above the gravel or leave the gravel open.
However, adding this basement water drainage system as an overhaul is costly and involves a lot of work. Digging a trench about the entire home involves
- Removal of landscaping
- Removal of outside hardscape elements – an example is a concrete walkway. A lot of other outside hardscape elements are possible.
Thus, it is natural that quite a few homeowners choose another method.
Next, we are going to discuss a cheaper basement water drainage system.
Interior French Drain
What is a lower-priced alternative to an exterior French Drain? It is the installation of a French drain down the length of the inner perimeter of the walls. This French drain system channels water into a sump. Search with emergency plumbers near me to get the best results.
How is an inner perimeter drain different from an exterior French drain system? No disturbance is done to the landscaping. However, the installers will use an electric saw on the basement floor for making a trench about the outside walls and sump.