New parents needed new solutions
These homeowners in Norwood were at a loss, they had inadequate drainage which meant that heavy rains would find their way inside. To make matters worse they had a new baby in the home and desperately needed the additional living space. The whole situation was overwhelming, to say the least, and required a comprehensive waterproofing and drainage solution. They couldn’t afford the health risks or the loss of living space, so they hired Hughes Construction to address seepage issues in their finished basement.
With a new baby, preventing mold and moisture issues was critical, and complete waterproofing was the goal.
Drainage: The first objective was to address the drainage. As you can see in the photo below: the downspouts discharged too close to the foundation.
Downspouts should discharge at least 10-20 feet away.
If you are not moving water away from your foundation as quickly as possible, you risk too much stress on your foundation and water intrusion. Minimum guidance says 4-6 feet per code, but really as far away as possible is best. Therefore our first step was to repair the drainage system: Excavating around the left, rear, and right sides of the house down to the footers. We then installed a new 4″ Schedule 40 PVC pipe footer drain to manage water effectively.
Waterproofing and Gravel: The team sealed the exposed foundation walls with waterproofing materials to prevent water infiltration and covered the footer drain with gravel to ensure proper drainage.
Sump Pump Installation: Due to the lack of natural drainage fall on the property, Hughes connected the footer pipe to a new sump pump. While sump pumps typically rely on electricity and are often a last resort, they were necessary for effective water management in this case.
Additional Drainage: In addition to the new footer drains, Hughes Construction added another layer of Schedule 40 PVC pipes to quickly redirect water from the downspouts away from the home, discharging it near the front of the property. They also discovered that the connecting clay tile at the front was clogged with shingle debris. To address this cost-effectively, they contracted Zins Plumbing to clean out the tile.
This solution protects the home’s foundation and keeps the basement dry, ensuring a safe and healthy environment for the new baby. Are you dealing with a damp basement? Contact us to learn more about our exterior waterproofing and drainage services.
