French drain

[fimp06]

Hi All,
Im going to refinish my basement and make it into a little game family room. My main problem is that I need to install a french drain system along my driveway side of the basement. I get water that comes in along this side of the house when we get heavy rains. I have had some concractors come in and give me some prices for installment , but man are they high. So I figured that I would do this myself. I have checked into some concreate saw blades to use with my circular saw and seems to be a good idea. What my main concerns are, how deep do I need to dig the trench for the pipeing, and can I re cement over top once it is intalled. Please help with any suggestions.
Thanks
Fimp06

 

[Sherweld]

I've repaired several leaky basements. However each of them were leaking ONLY at the joint between the slab and the foundation wall. (Cracks in the wall are another problem).

If this is your case, think of it as the water table outside of the foundation trying to seek it's own level inside. So if you can intercept it at any point and allow it to take the path of least resistance back outside, you have it solved.

If you are on a sloping site, you may be able to daylight the drain somewhere downhill. Otherwise you may have to carry it to a sump pump.

The repair itself would consist of cutting and digging a trench along the wall, probably to the footing, backfilling with washed gravel and a perforated tile which leads the water to wherever. Then cover with a strip of membrane (like visqueen) and last concrete to replace cut slab.

Cutting a 4" slab with homeowners tools (ie skilsaw w/diamond blade) would be quite a task to cut that deep. Would suggest "scoring" maybe 1"-2" deep, for a tidy finish joint, then breaking the rest which will give more "grip" to keep the slab and the repair concrete aligned. Also use plenty of concrete bonding "glue" (the white stuff similar to Elmers white glue)

That all being said, the very best solution of course, would be to do this on the outside, but then that is not always practical. (Although as I recall, I have solved several drainage issues, one by digging as far down a deep outside wall as possible, installing a waterproof barrier and a drain. Another on a sloping lot by digging a small swale on the uphill side to lead any surface water around the house. And still another by investigating a couple hundred feet uphill to find a small pond formed behind a railroad roadbed which when drained {by the railroad} solved the problem with no further action)

Best of luck
Sherweld

 

[Sherweld]

One more thought. I just helped my brother install a very small concrete "ridge" on the driveway/sidewalk along his foundation wall. This ridge prevents surface water runoff from coming into contact with the slab-to-wall joint and is led around and away from the house.

Sherweld

 

[ray66v]

By the time you remove the concrete,(rent a saw), and do any digging, you might as well go all the way down to the footer, it's not that far down.

If you have open tile at the bottom, and clean stone all the way to the top, you will never have any water come in that wall.

Since there will then be no way for the water to develop any hydrostatic pressure, you could have holes in the wall, and the water will not come in.

If you don't have a sump, then you'll need to put one in.

 

[KML]

One more thought. I just helped my brother install a very small concrete "ridge" on the driveway/sidewalk along his foundation wall. This ridge prevents surface water runoff from coming into contact with the slab-to-wall joint and is led around and away from the house.

Sherweld

Sherweld brings up a great point.
Do you know where the water is coming from and trying to go? You may well be able to intercept the water at some point away from the house and find an easier way to get it down hill before it gets to your basement.

 

[NuBota]

In my previous life I used to install the interior drain tile systems - very effective and generally cheaper than having the exterior dug - assuming as sherwled mentioned, your dealing with ground water coming in at the cove joint. You can still do it this way if you have wall cracks but need to do some outside work as well

See this thread - good info with pics

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/rural-living/72203-water-basement-help.html

-Eric