Got a new house recently and we were told that a little water shows up under the basement steps when it rains. It shows up all along the wall facing the gravel driveway that butts right up to the house. It comes in right where the floor meets the wall. No standing water yet but the floor is wet. 2 ft overhangs but 2 stories up and all gutters are doing their job. So that means the gravel driveway is funneling the water towards the house even though it does have a slight grade away. I dont want to seal the basement floor off and it just cause more problems unless I have no other choice. Is there something I can do on the outside of the house other than digging down 8 ft and running a trench system?

 

So what does that mean, are the gutters connected and diverted away from the house?

Makes no sense, if sloped away then how could it be moving water toward house, driveway is no different than lawn, if you dont move water away then it's going to collect in the basement,

What the story with sump pump?

 

Yes the gutters are flowing smooth and moving the water away about 3 ft each down spout. A contractor told me no sump was needed if we never have sitting water. It's a 90 year old house that's never had one so idk.

 

IMO 3' away is not sufficient, get some pipe and extend out and see if that makes any difference, could be flowing right back against the house depending on slope!

 

Keeping water away from outside perimeter of home is key to dry basement.

Down spout water drain should be diverted away to remote area or drywell. Ground sloped away from basement walls.

A neighbor spent thousands $$$$ on basement floor drain system which did not sovlve poblem. He asked me why.. After a rain all his down spouts had pools of water around them at 4 corners of house.

Solved another's issues by creating slight valley in lawn between next door home for drainage to street..