Is there a do it yourself way to water proof a badly leaking basement?
Question:I know the gutters are a inportant thing to take care of in this matter but the water comeing in is (i think) more than a gutter problem. Should i use 4" pipe around the house with rock on top and lay the pipe (lets say 18" deep) and drain the water to a low laying area?
This is my question. How do you use the pipe to keep the water away from the basement. How far does the pipe need to be burryed, close to the house or at the drip line. And can you just use pipe (with holes in it which i know) and burry it and channel it to a low laying area to keep the water out.
Please respond to the best way to use this pipe and rock (French Drain) to solve my problem.
Thanks a million yahoo friends, SIX
Answers:
I hope I can help with this problem. I used to get a basement full of rain water after a downpour or storm.
To cure this I dug a narrow trench about 18" deep all around the house. Making sure that the foundation was clear. Then I laid heavy duty plastic inside the trench with one side against the house foundation. Next, covered the plastic with a 6" layer of gravel and filled the remainder of the trench with soil. Later I ordered additional soil delivered and distributed around the house on a pitch away from the house. Then, I put sod down and watered it. The reason for the plastic is to prevent any ground water from seeping through the foundation. And by pitching or angling the soil and sod away from the house will prevent water from going to the house.
Another thing you might do is to put drain extensions on all of the downspouts.
As for the pipe idea, it wont last long. The weather will eventually take a toll on it, especially winter.
It is work to be done, but will prevent additional work later on.
Good luck.
PS. I corrected the problem with my home in 1974 and it is still dry
wow, thats a lot of work with a French drain. i used EPDM rubber (pond liner) from home deport or lowe's and buried it around the part where it was leaking. the side toward the house, i uses roofing lap cement/tar to adhere to the house, so it doesn't leak.
been over 15 years and no leaks.
it dont have to be bury deep at all and a lot of work have you tried a sealer on the inside walls
your best bet is to call a few people and get estimates for free ; let them see your problem and tell you what there game plan is to fix it; then do it yourself!
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