With the incredible amount of rain we have had last year and the melting winter snow, I thought it might be appropriate to talk about methods to prevent basement water leaks where possible. Having attended a fair number of home inspections, given by various professional home inspectors, there are several items that are repeated on every property by most home inspectors. Of course, this discussion is only valid in areas where the water table is below the basement floor.

Water itself in summer months and freezing water in winter months can be problematic. One is advised to keep the water away from the exterior foundation walls.

Foundations are generally made of one of several materials: stone (older houses), concrete block, or poured concrete. Since houses with stone foundations are more porous, they tend to have damp or moist cellars. That is not to say that they are necessarily prone to standing water.

Thankfully, in most situations, remedying the problem can be done at a reasonable cost! Here are some approaches:


Remedy #1 - Eavestroughs & Downspouts
If you have a look at your roof, you will see what a large surface area there is. Consequently, a great amount of water during rainstorms is being redirected thanks to the system of eavestroughs (a.k.a. gutters). The function of eavestroughs is to drain the water off of the roofing area. The function of the connecting downspouts is to take the water down to the surface grade or below grade.

When homes are built, the perimeter of the base of the foundation wall is encircled with a weeping tile system, which is surrounded by gravel. Essentially a weeping tile is a round pipe perforated to allow water to exit, which in turn drains through the gravel. Over time, these weeping tiles become ineffective, as they are filled with leaves, twigs, dirt, and other sediment.

Hence, cut off where your downspout connects to the pipe that discharges below grade, and cap the pipe (which sticks out of the ground) with either an inverted plastic pop bottle, or a round piece of aluminum for a more attractive appearance. Then, purchase elbows and connect the downspout to an extension long enough to run the water at least 6 feet away from your home. At the bottom of the extension, you may wish to buy a pre-cast concrete or plastic base so that the pressure of the water draining doesn't cause holes in your lawn!

You may also need to have a professional realign your eavestrough system to ensure that the water doesn't drain onto sidewalks and driveways. As well, by-law requirements in most cities will prohibit residents, with small front yards, from draining water onto their front lawns, as it may drain onto municipal sidewalks. The key is that in winter months, you don't want to have melting water draining onto sidewalks and drives as this creates a slip hazard.

On a side note, one should clean their eavestroughs out on at least an annual basis. Simply remove the leaves and debris from the eaves and power wash all of the troughs with your household garden hose.


Remedy # 2 - Grading
When you walk around the perimeter of your home, do you see any areas that slope towards your home? Soil should be graded in a fashion to allow water to drain away from the structure and NOT towards the structure. Most front gardens are built up too high with soil that touches the brickwork, above a waterproofing line. Re-grade gardens and lawns so that water drains away from the structure. Also, is the sidewalk at the side of your house slanted inwards? If so, look at having the stones reset so that they drain away from the house (while respecting your next door neighbour!) or at having a new concrete sidewalk poured.


Remedy # 3 - Driveways that Abut Dwellings
Asphalt or concrete driveways are impermeable surfaces - when installing a new driveway, ensure that a "lip" is created so that water drains away from the building. Also, if there is a crack between the driveway and the building (this usually enlarges over time), run a bead of rubber expandable caulking to seal the crack.


Remedy # 4 - De-Humidifier
This will be the easiest remedy! Go to the local hardware or home improvement store and buy a de-humidifier. If you look at your basement foundation walls, white efflorescence (mineral deposits) and even mould & mildew are signs of water migrating. A de-humidifier will work at removing an incredible amount of humidity from the air.


Remedy # 5 - Repair Cracks
Consult a basement water problem expert on the best way to fill in cracks, depending on the type of foundation that you have.


Remedy # 6 - Waterproofing / Damp-Proofing
The last resort! When all else fails you may have to resort to the most expensive solution of waterproofing the basement. There are essentially two ways to waterproof - from the outside and from the interior. If you are waterproofing from the outside, a trench is dug (earth excavated) around the perimeter of the house (usually one or two walls) and a new weeping tile system is installed, with the exterior walls being reparged and then treated with a waterproof coating or membrane. Avoid using tar, as it tends to be a somewhat temporary measure, whereas a rubber membrane or a rigid membrane (like Delta MS) are quite permanent solutions. The Delta MS product is probably the finest of its kind, but tends to be a rather costly project. If your basement isn't finished, an interior waterproofing system can be installed, with an interior drainage tile system. This method tends to cost about half of what exterior waterproofing would.


Summary
In order to gain additional living space in your basement, you will certainly want it to be a dry space before bringing in a contractor. Ensure that remedies #1 through #5 are employed before any type of expensive waterproofing is done. Enjoy your dry basement!

* not intended to solicit properties currently listed for sale