What Type of Basement Drainage is This?
#1
06-22-13, 01:05 AM
Join Date: May 2013
Location: USA
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What Type of Basement Drainage is This?
My parent’s house was built in the 1950s it is located in Eastern Pennsylvania and my question is concerning a small trench that runs along half of the basement floor (rough concrete) and the cinder block foundation.
The trench is cement/concrete on the bottom; it varies between 3/8”-1/2” inches wide by 2 1/2”-3 1/8” inches deep. Part of the trench is filled in with small stones and above the trench is the oil line from the oil tank to the furnace. This past winter I cleaned out the trench (except oil line area) of many years worth of dirt and other debris and I flushed it with water too. The trench seems to be some sort of drainage system. The water looks to be draining through certain areas cracks/holes (purposely left unsealed for drainage?) in the cinder block foundation. Two of the drainage locations are in the corners. I left the hose run on low pressure in different trench locations for a little while and all the water drained out. I tried with no success searching the internet for the name/type/style of basement/drainage this is.
My questions is:
What type of drainage system is this?
Sorry the pictures don’t show the inside trench details.
Trench beginning by the outside exit door.
Closeup of the trench (floor on top, foundation on bottom).
Expanded view of the trench. Circled area is one of the areas where the water would drain.
Closer view of the above picture. Circled area is one of the areas where the water would drained.
Trench beginning at the other end of the basement. Rough concrete top right half, center seam and smooth concrete bottom right half.
Close up view of a wet (just drained) trench #1.
Close up view of a wet (just drained) trench #2.
Thanks,
KingPurplePimp
The trench is cement/concrete on the bottom; it varies between 3/8”-1/2” inches wide by 2 1/2”-3 1/8” inches deep. Part of the trench is filled in with small stones and above the trench is the oil line from the oil tank to the furnace. This past winter I cleaned out the trench (except oil line area) of many years worth of dirt and other debris and I flushed it with water too. The trench seems to be some sort of drainage system. The water looks to be draining through certain areas cracks/holes (purposely left unsealed for drainage?) in the cinder block foundation. Two of the drainage locations are in the corners. I left the hose run on low pressure in different trench locations for a little while and all the water drained out. I tried with no success searching the internet for the name/type/style of basement/drainage this is.
My questions is:
What type of drainage system is this?
Sorry the pictures don’t show the inside trench details.
Trench beginning by the outside exit door.
Closeup of the trench (floor on top, foundation on bottom).
Expanded view of the trench. Circled area is one of the areas where the water would drain.
Closer view of the above picture. Circled area is one of the areas where the water would drained.
Trench beginning at the other end of the basement. Rough concrete top right half, center seam and smooth concrete bottom right half.
Close up view of a wet (just drained) trench #1.
Close up view of a wet (just drained) trench #2.
Thanks,
KingPurplePimp
#3
06-25-13, 05:02 AM
Join Date: May 2013
Location: USA
Posts: 39
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joecaption1
Thanks!
Does it make sense to have only half a basement with a French Drain? (like this one is)
With the water is going through the cinder block foundation, the water should be draining away from the foundation not being dump outside the foundation (to soak back through the foundation). (correct)
KingPurplePimp
Thanks!
Does it make sense to have only half a basement with a French Drain? (like this one is)
With the water is going through the cinder block foundation, the water should be draining away from the foundation not being dump outside the foundation (to soak back through the foundation). (correct)
KingPurplePimp
