After a rain, gravity pulls the surface water down hill until it soaks in the ground or reaches the ocean. Ground water continues to drop until something like rocks or a layer of clay gets in the way, then it moves sideways until it can drop some more.

This water seeks its own level and your foundation is in the way. The ground water surrounding a foundation behaves the same way as water surrounding a boat or a can. Poke a hole in the bottom of the boat and water spurts up, like a crack in the middle of the basement floor. Poke a hole in the edge where the side of can meets the bottom and in seeps the water, like where the floor meets the wall. Poke a hole in the side and the water leaks through, like a crack or weak spot in your wall. Water builds pressure the deeper you go. And pushes against the walls like against a boat.

Your foundation walls hold back tons of soil and water in that soil. That water puts an enormous amount of pressure against your walls. Water puts pressure against every surface with which it is in contact. The deeper the water, the greater the pressure. And, the weakest point of your basement, the wall-floor joint, is at the deepest level and is exposed to the greatest hydrostatic pressure.

Water holds to soil particles and roots even in the areas of good drainage. This causes considerable moisture near the surface. Since soil is normally against the foundation walls, any cracks or porous areas will let dampness into your basement. Water gets into your basement by any combination of seepage, leakage, or condensation. Seepage and leakage are from the pressure caused by the boat effect on your home.

As always, I wish you good fortune and success solving your waterproofing problems. Take a deep breath and try not to get discouraged if things don’t go quickly and easily, as is often the case. Don’t take it personally. Remember, nearly every solution which now exist was acquired by trial and error by someone who was frustrated before you. Persevere, you’ll get the job done and feel very good about it.

The water drains through porous topsoil and stops at the more compacted soil near the base of the foundation where the hydrostatic pressure forces it through cracks, holes or openings in the walls and footings or by capillary action through the porous blocks or concrete to the inside.

Swales are one of the least complicated, although labor intensive, ways to prevent water from reaching your home. They intercept and divert the water before it reaches the walls.

A swale is a very gentle shallow V-shaped depression which is placed around the home, running perpendicular to the fall of the hill. Swales are used with or without various combinations of drainage tiles, catch basins or gravel. The most common form is with a French drain with the swale being filled with crushed stone, covered with topsoil and seeded with grass. If the runoff is severe perforated drain tile is often used.

A swale should be at least 6 feet from the home, should intercept the water on the uphill side and divert it around on one or both sides as is appropriate following the elevation contour lines to a discharge area at the street ditch or another acceptable area.

As always, I wish you good fortune and success solving your waterproofing problems. Take a deep breath and try not to get discouraged if things don’t go quickly and easily, as is often the case. Don’t take it personally. Remember, nearly every solution which now exist was acquired by trial and error by someone who was frustrated before you. Persevere, you’ll get the job done and feel very good about it.

Most of the time they are put in out of the way places if possible, although they need to be located near an external downspout discharge line as that is where the water pumps to. A pipe goes from the pump, up and through the wall where it connects to the downspout discharge line. Sump pumps usually gather water from the external and/or internal footer drain tiles which sit under the floor at the base of the walls near the footers and intercept the water at that point.

If your home occasionally has a water problem in the basement and doesn’t have a sump pump, one may solve your problem. It is not always necessary to install new interior footer drain tiles under the basement floor all the way around the basement, as sometimes installing the sump pump will lower the water level in one area which in turn gives the rest of the water under the floor a place to release to to be removed. But, if your attempts to seal and cement the walls and floor haven’t completely solved the problem, a sump pump may be required.

You may want a professional to do this work for you, as it requires breaking a hole in the reinforced concrete floor at its low point in the basement, digging a pit large enough to hold the crock (about the size of a 50 gallon drum and tying it in to any existing footer drain tiles. After the pit and crock are in, the pump is then hooked up and the drain line installed.

There are two basic types of pumps and battery backups available in case power goes out at your home. Pedestal pumps, the least expensive, have the motor above the water level which allows moisture and dust to get in, and open fins for cooling. They are noisier and usually have a shorter life time than submersibles. Submersible sump pumps have sealed, oil cooled motors, are quieter and usually last longer.

The pump will come with instructions and illustrations for installation. Rigid 1 ½ inch PVC pipe holds the pump in place the crock. It is easy to cut with a hacksaw and can be connected to the fittings easily with pipe primer and pipe cement. You must install a check valve which prevents water pumped up to the drain line from flowing back into the crock when the pump is turned off. It should be connected with hose clamps and flexible neoprene connectors enabling you to easily remove the pump for repairs and maintenance. You will want to use flexible polyethylene pipe for the exterior connection to the downspout discharge line.

As always, I wish you good fortune and success solving your waterproofing problems. Take a deep breath and try not to get discouraged if things don’t go quickly and easily, as is often the case. Don’t take it personally. Remember, nearly every solution which now exist was acquired by trial and error by someone who was frustrated before you. Persevere, you’ll get the job done and feel very good about it.

Make a simple outline of the outside walls of your home, then mark the location of all your downspouts on your diagram. Then mark a line to the point where they discharge. Buried drains are usually only 10” to 12” below ground.

The next thing to do is insert a garden hose in the drain line and see if the water comes out somewhere away from the house. Look for the wet area near the curb or on your property down hill from the hose. Downspout discharge lines should be at least 10 feet from the nearest wall with a down slope dropping away from the structure.

Improper spouting and discharge lines are responsible for approximately 50% of all of the wet basements I have seen.

Mark the location of your downspouts and the approximate length or your walls on the diagram. Then go in your home and mark the areas on the inside that have water problems against the corresponding wall on the outside. Look for the downspout nearest that point. There is a good chance your problem will be there.

If you have missing or damaged parts on your gutter system, this is where to start. The use of leaf strainers, gutter guards in wooded areas, and drip edges if your house has insufficient shingle overhang are recommended. The strainers help keep your downspouts clear and the drip edge insures the rain water reaches the gutter and doesn’t fall next to your foundation.

Check the gutters and clean them of leaves, nests, and other debris. During a rainstorm, go outside and check for breaks or leaks. Repair any damage caused by ice and snow. Many basement water problems can be corrected by the proper installation and repair of roof gutters and correctly positioned downspouts.

If your downspouts end in a splash guard, it should carry the water at least 8 to 10 feet from the house. You many need to install some plastic pipe temporarily to do this, but it is important to do so. Your buried drain lines will normally carry the water to a curb, storm sewer, or a dry well. Splash guards, while providing a very simple, and in many cases incomplete solution to the discharge of downspout water, do carry it away from the wall. This is very important as the water will not drain directly down the wall area and soak the blocks.

As always, I wish you good fortune and success solving your waterproofing problems. Take a deep breath and try not to get discouraged if things don’t go quickly and easily, as is often the case. Don’t take it personally. Remember, nearly every solution which now exist was acquired by trial and error by someone who was frustrated before you. Persevere, you’ll get the job done and feel very good about it.

Dampness from soil that is saturated after a rain seeps against the basement wall. Capillarity in the concrete draws the moisture on though to the inside. Capillarity will also draw water up from moist soil at the water table as much as 16 gallons per day for a 1000 square foot house. This water can then enter the footings and floor from below.

It is usually possible to keep moisture away from the foundation and basement by digging drainage ditches. If your house is on sloping ground, these should be positioned so as to intercept the water flowing downhill and take it around the house. The important thing is to intercept the water and carry it away from the walls of the house.

The extent and depth of the digging depends on the amount of water, the source, and the amount of money and labor one is willing to spend to solve the problem. Following is an example.

Install plastic sheeting in a modified french-drain. Dig a trench about three feet wide around the house walls, line the trench with a vapor impermeable material like polyethylene film (plastic sheeting). Coat the wall with asphalt. Press the sheeting to the wall and along the base of the trench. Slope the trench away from the house at lease ¼ inch per foot. Install PVC slotted plastic drainpipe at the end of the sheeting to carry off the water toward the low side of the property. Be careful not to dig so far as to undermine the foundation of the house wall. For houses with a basement, about 1 foot against the house, sloping down from there, should be fine.

Make sure the bottom of the trench slopes away from the house with no dips or hills in it with a steady slope so water will not stand in the slotted plastic PVC drainpipes. Extend the gravity flow PVC drainpipes at least 12 feet from the house. Fill with a layer of coarse gravel, cover with a weed control fabric and then cover with a layer of soil. Slope the soil gently away from the wall.

If it is not possible to have gravity flow from the level of the PVC drain tile, then a sump pump must be used to remove the water. Water cannot be collected in the drain tiles without an appropriate way to remove it.

As always, I wish you good fortune and success solving your waterproofing problems. Take a deep breath and try not to get discouraged if things don’t go quickly and easily, as is often the case. Don’t take it personally. Remember, nearly every solution which now exist was acquired by trial and error by someone who was frustrated before you. Persevere, you’ll get the job done and feel very good about it.

Be sure you have gutters on all the eaves and that no water is flowing directly onto the side of your house. If it is install gutters and a downspout where it can be discharged at least 10 feet away from the home, but preferably going to a drain line to a curb or storm sewer or other appropriate discharge area.

Check your downspout and drain lines carefully. Repair or replace whatever you can. The easiest thing to do is to go to your local “Do It Yourself” hardware store, explain the problem, and buy a ready-made fitting to replace any broken ones. Make sure water is not leaking from the gutters or downspout lines.

Downspout discharge drain lines are very important. They must be working. You can check them by putting a garden hose in the fitting where the downspout enters (usually about a foot above ground) and turning it on. Be sure to note the amount of flow and after allowing enough time for the water to travel through the pipe, watch to see that approximately the same amount of water comes out at the curb or discharge area.

If you suspect blockage, have Roto-Rooter clean them out. If they can’t be cleared, install a new line. You may have to replace the buried downspout discharge drain lines, as “Rooter-Rootering” may not permanently repair the problem or may not be able to open the line, or may damage a fragile line. If there is a breach in the line, water will be leaking from it, even if some water still flows at the discharge area (curb or other down slope location). The material is about 40 cents per foot. These lines usually curve about one foot down in the ground and run at that level to the discharge point.

Installation usually costs $4 or $5 per foot, but you can do it for much less. The trench should be about 5 inches wide and about 14 inches or so deep. It needs to be sloped gently toward the discharge point.

As always, I wish you good fortune and success solving your waterproofing problems. Take a deep breath and try not to get discouraged if things don’t go quickly and easily, as is often the case. Don’t take it personally. Remember, nearly every solution which now exist was acquired by trial and error by someone who was frustrated before you. Persevere, you’ll get the job done and feel very good about it.

Soil maps that show the types of soils, their general characteristics, and suitability for various uses have been developed for many parts of the U.S. They are available from the U.S. Soil Conservation Service, U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. On site soil inspection will show you which soil you have at your home.

The most common types of soil are:

Boulders – rocks that are over 8 inches in size. They are usually in other types of soil. If there are large boulders in the way of the foundation, they should be removed to avoid creating hard spots, which could cause the foundation to crack.

Gravel – consists of rock fragments varying from 1/8 inch to 8 inches. It is usually mixed with other types and is good for bearing weight and absorption.

Sand – rock particles or grains varying from 0.05 millimeters (approximately 1/25 of an inch) to 1/8 inch. Care must be taken that the sand layer is deep and not just a thin layer underlain by weak soil. Very fine sand should be evaluated with great caution since water may convert it into quicksand, causing the foundation to fail.

Silt – consists of particles that are between sand and clay (0.005 to 0.05 millimeters). Inorganic silt has little plasticity, if you add water to it, and the paste does not deform without cracking. Organic silt is mixed with particles of organic matters such as decayed vegetables, shells, etc. Silt is not very good in bearing weight, however, it can support the weight of a house. Its absorption characteristics are poor.

Clay – consists of very fine particles less than 0.005 millimeters in size. It is plastic when wet and hardens and cracks when dried. When loaded, stiff clay takes years to settle, because it loses its moisture content very slowly. This is why homes built on stiff clay will crack plaster or drywall for a period of years after construction. This does not mean the house will fall. Clay is good in bearing but poor in absorption.

Loam – consists of a mixture of sand, silt, and clay. When dry it forms a cast that can be handled. When wet it is plastic and can be handled without breaking. Loam has some bearing and absorption capabilities.

Sandy Loam – mostly sand, but has some silt and clay in it. It has some bearing and absorption capabilities.

Silty Loam – has a large percentage of silt and a small percentage of sand and clay. Natural lumps can turn to soft powder with little pressure. It has poor bearing and absorption capabilities.

Clayey Loam – includes a large amount of clay and small amount of sand and silt. It has bearing capability but poor absorption.

As always, I wish you good fortune and success solving your waterproofing problems. Take a deep breath and try not to get discouraged if things don’t go quickly and easily, as is often the case. Don’t take it personally. Remember, nearly every solution which now exist was acquired by trial and error by someone who was frustrated before you. Persevere, you’ll get the job done and feel very good about it.

Hydrostatic pressure is the force the water exerts against your basement walls and floor when it tries to equalize itself. The deeper you go in the soil when it is wet to ground level, the greater the pressure. Your home acts much as a glass that is tipped upside down in a bucket of water. The water tries to push in from all sides.

Gravity pulls the water down and the more water there is, the greater the pressure. It pushes continuously until it is released or drains away. In some cases, this never happens. If you have a high water table, the pressure will always be there, seeking a way into your basement. Footer drain tiles both exterior and interior intercept this water, give it an easy way to drain always and relieve the pressure.

The water table is the level below which the ground is permanently saturated. Sometimes this will rise or fall depending on the amount of rain. This is especially true if the home is near a creek or small stream and it floods. The local water table will rise to the level of the creek temporarily for a day or so until the water recedes.

If you have basement leaks, look at the walls, seams and floor for cracks or holes which you may try plugging with hydraulic cement. Enlarge and clean the opening and undercut the edges to a dovetail shape using a masonry chisel. Clean the openings with a wire brush and water. Fill the cracks and holes with hydraulic cement which expands as it dries. It will dry quickly, usually in 5 to 15 minutes. Always wear gloves and a mask and follow the directions on the label carefully. Seal the seams between the floor and walls with a masonry sealant.

If this does not work, you may have to create a sump and install a sump pump or do more extensive perimeter drains installed in gravel inside the foundation footings. The sump pump pumps the water into an external downspout line or discharge line which takes it away from the house. You will want someone with experience in this field to assist you and may need a professional waterproofer.

As always, I wish you good fortune and success solving your waterproofing problems. Take a deep breath and try not to get discouraged if things don’t go quickly and easily, as is often the case. Don’t take it personally. Remember, nearly every solution which now exist was acquired by trial and error by someone who was frustrated before you. Persevere, you’ll get the job done and feel very good about it

The most common source of a window well leak is the ground sloping in toward the house. Make sure the ground next to the wall and the base of the window well are sloping away from the house, away from your window. If the water runs toward your window, it will probably end up in your basement. Adding a window well, properly graveled and drained, with the fill dirt sloping from the wall, will usually solve the problem.

Seams around window frames may also let water in. Caulk these with silicone or polyurethane sealant.

Another common source of window well leakage is a mulch pile deep around the window. This holds water in the area after a rain and lets it keep the wall moist for a prolonged period of time. Replace the mulch with topsoil and slope away from the home.

As always, I wish you good fortune and success solving your waterproofing problems. Take a deep breath and try not to get discouraged if things don’t go quickly and easily, as is often the case. Don’t take it personally. Remember, nearly every solution which now exist was acquired by trial and error by someone who was frustrated before you. Persevere, you’ll get the job done and feel very good about it.

Condensation in unheated crawl spaces is usually caused by excessive moisture from the soil or from warm humid air entering from outside the house. A soil cover (vapor barrier) should always be used in crawl spaces that have potential moisture problems. Sometimes a sump may be required to collect excessive ground water and drain or pump it away. Adequate cross ventilation will help eliminate condensation problems. To eliminate this problem, place a vapor barrier over the soil.

Concrete slabs without radiant heat are sometimes subjected to surface condensation in late spring when warm humid air enters the house. Because the temperature of some areas of the concrete slab or its covering is below the dew point, surface condensation can occur. Keeping the windows closed during the day, using a dehumidifier and raising the inside temperature aid in minimizing this problem. When the concrete slab reaches normal room temperatures, this problem is eliminated.

As always, I wish you good fortune and success solving your waterproofing problems. Take a deep breath and try not to get discouraged if things don’t go quickly and easily, as is often the case. Don’t take it personally. Remember, nearly every solution which now exist was acquired by trial and error by someone who was frustrated before you. Persevere, you’ll get the job done and feel very good about it.