Exterior waterproofing for your basement

Many know that this can be a task which can consume a lot of resources, time and money. Even in this case the right knowledge can help you make this task a little bit easier. You should not stress yourself too much, because planning everything ahead the job can be done without losing all your money and time.

You may be tempted to hire a contractor like many do but with the right equipment, you won’t need anybody else. Next you will find the necessary information for a smooth and clear waterproofing.

Preparing for waterproofing

Before starting the actual waterproofing, you need to use a backhoe and expose the entire area on which the changes will be made. The digging will be done until the bottom of the foundation will be reached. This means that you either dig a small trench or the entire garden, depending on the structure.

Drain tiles

The best position for your drain tile would be alongside the foundation footer and not on it. When the installation is done, the drain pipe will be covered with gravel. You should put enough gravel so that in the end it will be at the top of the footer.

Backfill

The drain tile should be at a depth of 3 feet, being the minimum for this step of the installation. The gravel can be placed until it will be within 18 inches of finish grade level but only if you have enough money for it. You may think that there is no necessity for spending so much money on gravel but the less you use, the faster the drain tile will damage. If you think a little bit then you can realize that is better to make it good now and avoid any problems in the future than leaving it like this and having to change it in the near future. In the end, you need to cover the gravel with some straw in order to prevent the obstruction of the drain by the dirt that will be added.

Water outlet

Those that have the house on level ground should take some measures by choosing one of these 2 options: a sump pit or a French drain. The sump pit has a complicated installation in your basement but the water collected by the drain tile will be easily thrown outside. On the other hand, the French drain is much simpler and after you place it underground, all the water from the drain tile will be directed to it. Although the French drain seems the obvious choice, it is not recommended in case the water table is not below the level of the basement.

When it comes to drain tiles, the installation is everything. Some people may say that drain tiles are not suited for waterproofing basements but if you pay attention to the installation, you will get in the end an efficient system of waterproofing.