As a home inspection pro, this is a part of an ongoing series to help you learn tips and tricks for home care that have the additional value of leading to an increased value to your home when selling. When doing home inspections, we often come across wet basements and simple fixes that could have prevented these issues.
“Keeping water out of old basements especially with stone or terracotta block walls”
— Keep gutters clean. This is the most basic point. If your gutters aren’t clean and water overflows nothing else you do will matter. Remember the only reason you have gutters is to help keep water out of basement and prevent soil damage to foundation.
— Make sure gutters are sloped toward the downspouts for proper drainage.
—Be sure downspouts terminate at least six feet away from home sloping away from foundation.
—Be sure where downspout goes underground conduit is not damaged or cracked. This will allow all water collected by the gutters to accumulate around the foundation and possibly enter foundation.
Many times during home inspections past water stains noted at corners of basement where downspouts go underground. This is a strong indication of broken conduit underground.
Now down to the ground…
It’s a soil problem, not a foundation problem
Soil should always be sloped away from home. Avoid “low spots” such as “holes” dug by the family pet along the foundation.
Same goes for concrete (any masonry or hard surfaces). All sections of concrete around home must slope away from foundation. Keep space between concrete and home well sealed along with any other cracks in the masonry surface.
When landscaping around the home avoid using only mulch-water flows thru mulch quite easily. This is not the protective barrier needed. Landscaper’s clay and/or plastic sheeting are recommended. Slope soil away from home, lay down plastic sheeting or landscaper’s clay-then mulch may be applied. Water flows thru mulch but stops at plastic or clay and travels away from home.
Exterior drain system
Many home owners assume an exterior French drain must extend down to the footing. This is not always the case.
Sometimes installing an exterior drain two or three feet below the surface may do the job. This is something the average home owner may accomplish over one or two weekends of work.
Again be sure these underground drains terminate away from foundation
Following the steps listed above may not keep all the water out of old basements especially those with stone or terracotta block foundations but will help a great deal and make any water that does enter more manageable. This can be accomplished for a small percentage of the cost a professionally installed exterior or interior drainage system.
Another important benefit of proper drainage around the home is too keep the structural integrity of the foundation walls.
Again it’s a soil problem not your foundation
In our section of the country we have thin layer of top soil and then many feet of clay type soil. This clay swells greatly when saturated with water (due to lack of proper drainage). This will push against the foundation resulting in bowing and horizontal cracking. If this becomes to great then the dreaded “wall anchors” or similar type repairs. In the case of stone foundations it may be necessary to rebuild sections of the wall.
So keep all this in mind when you think there is nothing you can do to control water in your basement. With a little bit of effort and maintenance you too can lessen the amount of water in your basement and prevent bowing and cracking of foundation walls.