Existing Footer. How do I know where it is?


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Old 03-18-13, 04:33 PM
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Existing Footer. How do I know where it is?

I am trying to find my footer. I want to do a diy install job on trench type system against the inside basement wall on top of the footer. I have already started breaking up some of the concrete in one area (and discovered a system of sorts already installed but its too far in imo) and I dont want to go to far down and ruin the footer.

Note that the existing trench pipe thing. I accidentally broke this section of it because I did not know it was even there. Honestly, Im not sure how it even works. I put my hand inside and it feels as if it has no holes or slots in it, its feels solid. So not exactly sure how it was supposed to work.

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Old 03-18-13, 04:39 PM
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Just to add. My plan, against what some of you I am certain are against, is to have some type of system that involves weep holes on the bottom of the basement wall, every 2 to 3 feet or so, and some how have them drain into a trench type system.

I do not plan on doing any excavating work on the outside. It would be too costly, for one thing. And I believe I live in a high water table area anyways. I also really only have issues on two sides of my house. For the most part, I dont have water issues, except during very, very heavy rains or like recently. Another snow storm, followed by a day of heavy rain. There are a few spots in my basement at the bottom of the walls where water seeps in.

My feeling is that if I get a Waterguard type system, and figure out a way to use weep holes, it gives any water an easy path to the waterguard system, and in turn, to my sump pump.

I have not figured out yet how to do the weep holes and how to get them to drain into the waterguard. Not sure if I should just do the weep holes below the floow level next to the waterguard, or above. Or if I should put any type of pipe into the holes.
 
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Old 03-19-13, 05:02 AM
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It looks like the footer is visible in your photos next to the drainage pipe.

I have seen old drainage and septic leach fields done with clay tiles like in your picture. They were laid end to end but not touching, leaving a slight gap between each pipe section to allow water to enter. As you can imagine they can easily get knocked out of position when back filling.
 
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Old 03-19-13, 05:40 AM
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This home was built in the 50's. Not sure if that makes any difference. But is a footer typically ___ far down? Im worried about damaging it while I clear away the top concrete. If Ive already exposed some of it, it doesnt appear clearly defined, and doesnt seem but a few inches below floor level, I was expecting it to be several inches or close to a foot below.

I dont know how some people use a jack hammer to break this up as Ive seen. If footers arent always at the same depth, seems a high risk of destroying it.
 
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Old 03-19-13, 07:18 AM
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Good luck destroying a poured footer. Unlike a slab, most footers will throw your jackhammer back at you.
 
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Old 03-19-13, 07:41 AM
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That's good to know. I think. I'll rent a jackhammer then and go that route. Do wish I knew how far down the footer typically is though.

And while some of you may be against it, can anyone recommend how I should tie the weep hole to my drain? Should they below floor level or above and should I just leave them as holes or insert some sort of piping?
 
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Old 03-20-13, 07:05 PM
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Someone elsewhere told me I've already gotten to the footer. So basically, my footer is hardly 2 inches below the basement floor which really puts a damper on what I wanted to do.
 
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Old 03-24-13, 03:22 PM
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I think that drilling holes in foundation walls to allow water to enter one's basement (or crawl space) is counter-productive. Why provide more entry points for the water, when it's only a matter of time before the drainage lines become clogged and are no longer able to move the water along to the sump pit? At that point, the water will still be coming through the holes you made for it, but will now be finding its way up between the footings and bottom of floor slab, ending up in your basement.

FWIW, basement floor slabs are usually (but not always) poured directly on top of the insides of foundation footings, after the walls are erected. Some areas with high water tables often use two sets of foundation drainage lines--one outside the walls and one inside (where yours is).
 
 

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