Go Back  DoItYourself.com Community Forums > Exterior Improvement Center > Roofing, Gutters and All Waterproofing Anywhere
Reload this Page >

exterior perimeter drain not draining...water in basement issue

exterior perimeter drain not draining...water in basement issue


  #1  
Old 04-22-14, 06:00 AM
D
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: USA
Posts: 2
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
exterior perimeter drain not draining...water in basement issue

I recently purchased a home that was built in 2004. The basement experienced some issues with water intrusion and the previous owners did a good job of installing seamless gutters and regrading the outside surrounding areas. They thought they had the problem licked until spring time came and the water table was up and water entered again through the floor seam and through cracks in the floor. After this happened they decided to install an interior perimeter drain around entire basement that included two sump pumps. This interior drain helped, but did not solve the problem entirely. Now that I own the home I realize the exterior perimeter drain does not drain. It is located at or slightly above the footing. I do not see it daylight anywhere away from house. Assuming they just stopped trenching and dub a hole and backfilled with gravel hoping the water would seep out there and away from house. I contacted an excavation company and was told the drain tile should be located below the footing. I have read conflicting reports with that theory. I would like to dig up on the low corner of the house and extend the drain to daylight into a nearby drain swale. My question is if the drain tile is even with the footing or slightly above as suspected am I ok to try and leave the existing tile in place or does it need to be redone below the footing?
 
  #2  
Old 04-23-14, 04:56 PM
P
Temporarily Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: NY
Posts: 10,265
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
I would dig a test hole first, in order to monitor the height of the water table. Start with a post hold digger for the first few feet, To dig the rest of the way, there is a tool that can be rented that has an end similar to a post hole digger & a T handle on top. I can't remember what it's called. You spin it & then lift the dirt out of the hole. It's about 2 hrs. work, to reach 9'.
 
  #3  
Old 04-23-14, 07:49 PM
S
Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: usa
Posts: 1,239
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
ALONGsIDE the footer,,, placing it below encourages a condition known as 'scour' in which the fines are flush'd out of the supporting soil,,, above the footer lets water leak in thru the cove (wall/floor intersection) as you've already found out,,, sounds as if your collection pipe may be fill'd w/silt - that often happens if no filter fabric's been used in the trench below the bedding stone,,, pulp's got a good idea, too
 
  #4  
Old 04-24-14, 09:43 AM
D
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: USA
Posts: 2
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Thanks both Pulpo and stadry for the suggestions. I have two egress windows on the one side of house and have exposed the drain tile there. Therefore, I already have a pretty nice monitor well dug.

Stadry...there is fabric/pantyhose filter on the 4" perf tile, but not under bedding stone. There is a few inches of 10A stone below and above the pipe however. I cut a small hole in the drain pipe to look and it is full of water, but worried the installer didn't daylight the end of the pipe and just left if in the ground or dug a small hole and backfilled with stone thinking it would just slowly perk out. My main concern was the footing question and your theory on "scour" is consistent with everything I read. I am thinking about digging a new trench to drain off the perimeter drain. I will do it right this time and go the extra 50yds to a large culvert area on property. Any suggestions on what type of solid pipe to use? Normally I would think the 4" corregated stuff would be fine, but would a more heavy think walled PVC be worth the extra cost?
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description:
Your question will be posted in: