![]() ![]() If the grade is adequate, most rainwater will run off the surface and away from the house before it soaks too far into the fill. Building codes usually require six inches of slope for the first 10 feet of ground better builders grade one foot of slope for the first six feet of ground, allowing for soil settlement over time. To minimize the water that gets in, a careful builder raises the backfill high enough to create a slope to carry water away from the house.As a result, the bowl-like a full bowl of dry cereal-can still hold a lot of liquid. But regardless of how carefully that work is done, backfill dirt will be less compact than the undisturbed dirt surrounding the hole. The builder backfills the hole with clean soil around the foundation to fill up the remainder of the bowl, making sure no wood, masonry, concrete, or other debris get into it, and packing the fill dirt tightly.Let’s assume the builder is conscientious. How do you keep water that accumulates in the bowl out of the house? A lot can be done, but often the diligence of the builder and local building codes dictate what is actually done. Now assume that built inside this bowl is a house that doesn’t quite occupy the entire bowl. The bottom and sides of the hole may hold some water for a long time, like a giant bowl. If nothing more is done, that hole will fill with lots of water whenever it rains-falling directly into the hole, running in from the surrounding surface, or seeping in from surrounding soil. To understand why leakage occurs, think about how a house is constructed. In the mildest cases, it slowly seeps through porous wall or floor materials, creating slightly damp walls or floors. In extreme cases, this water may enter in visible rivulets and accumulate several inches deep. Most serious basement moisture problems occur when water leaks or seeps through basement floors, through joints between floors and walls, or through walls below ground level during or after rainstorms. When contacting inspectors, make sure they have experience solving drainage issues. Inspections cost up to $400 but could save you many times that amount. Want more good advice? Have an experienced home inspector or drainage specialist examine your problem and suggest solutions. We suggest other ways to get rid of drips (or floods) that cost far less than what most basement waterproofing contractors charge. But you’re more likely to get good results-and save a lot of money-by exploring all possible solutions before paying for professional help. If you have water in your basement, you want it gone-pronto. Many of these companies will propose installation of expensive interior drainage systems-even if you don’t need them-when most moisture problems can be solved in better, less-expensive ways. Paying a basement waterproofing contractor to fix a wet-basement problem should be your last resort. Wet basement? Thinking about calling a basement waterproofing contractor? STOP. ![]()
1 Comment
8/2/2023 01:28:11 am
Brilliant article! Engaging and well-researched, it offered valuable insights into the subject matter. A must-read for anyone seeking profound understanding
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