Puddles in Basement - French Drain?

Question

Hey everyone,

I just bought my first SFH in April.  When it rains I get some water in the basement.  The puddles cover approx 50-60% of the floor and are normally 1/2" deep.  It's walk-able with boots on.

I have gutters on the home, the front one dumps pretty far away from the foundation (5' or so) and the back downspout goes into a pipe which runs through the basement and dumps into my main drain and runs out to the street.

The grading on the house isn't the best but I'm not on a hill anything extreme.

The water seems to be coming up through the floor.

I'm assuming this will require a french drain system but am looking for alternatives or advice on the matter.  Any idea what the cost of this would be?

Basement footprint is approx 20' x 40'

-Frank-

Chris Brunner · Answer

Steve,

Yeah I know Philly is combined sewer.  I was referring to out in the suburbs where I am.   I work for a Municipal Engineering company and deal with the issues created by storm water connections to the sanitary sewer system.  Even Philly is trying to disconnect as many storm sewer connections as possible.

And when I say it's illegal, I don't mean they will arrest you.  They just make you disconnect it sometimes when they do an inspection when a house is sold.

Dan Costantino · Answer

I got 4 quotes this week on french drains.  They ranged from $30/linear ft to $120/lft.  A Radon Compliant system was quoted at $65/lft.  You'd have to add for the sump pump.  Over 100 lft, you may need 2.  Those could range from $600/pump to $1200/pump.

I agree that you should fix the exterior problems before paying the $!
Good luck!

Steve Babiak · Answer

That is sort of true and false as well, depending on the local municipality and how they handle the sewer.  For all new construction, definitely true just about everywhere.  For existing buildings, there can be a grandfathering of the existing hook-ups, but some places do not grandfather so keeping storm water out of the sanitary waste water sewer is a must in those places.

EDIT: I see you are in PA, so you should know that the City of Philadelphia has a mixed system, where storm drains are tied into the sanitary system.

Chris Brunner · Answer

Definitely try just the sump pump first. You may even need two pits to handle higher rain events.

I would also look into getting a battery back up for the pump. Around here heavy rain= no power.

Also, I would disconnect your rear downspout from your sewer. It is illegal now and a strain on the sewer system which can lead to back ups.

Chris Wyche · Answer

I would think to try the sump pump first since it is MUCH cheaper than a French drain. I have the same problem in my single family rental, but it's a row home and the exterior grading is fine in the front and back. Definitely putting a sump pump in soon.

Frank Oudheusden · Answer

Everyone,
   Thanks so much for the information.  I plan to tackle this sometime over the next 3-6 months when my repair budget will have enough to cover a decent portion of it.  I'm going to have a waterproofing company come and quote it out (they inspect for free normally) and take it from there.  Glad to know what I'm getting into.

Stephanie Dupuis · Answer

Steve's got a good point - I should have stated that I've never have bid out a French Drain myself (simply didn't think if it, apologies), rather I've installed them myself (this was my part of a previous job experience for me). Cost wise, should maybe redo the order above if hiring out, which is what I typically do.

Steve Babiak · Answer

An interior perimeter French drain can run something like $60 to $80 per linear foot of perimeter; you have 120 linear ft of perimeter, so $7200 to $9600 would not surprise me a bit.  And there will be some that run much higher, and others that run much lower; if you get lower bids, you really need to check into the contractor to be certain they have a well-established reputation.

An exterior French drain will probably run lots more.

John Moore · Answer

I would dig a sump pump pit to see if this quick fix works.  It is most likely the most inexpensive route to take.  When you install adjust the pump to keep the water off the floor the pit does not have to be completly empty.  The exhaust of water should be far enough away from the house so that it doesn't recycle.

Stephanie Dupuis · Answer

Hi Frank - I've fixed three leaky basements so far, plus my neighbor's basement. We get a ton of rain where I'm at...

To save time and money, I'd follow some logical steps to problem solve the situation (given you have the time to do this).

1. First, grade/slope the land away from the property (and double make sure the gutters are taking the water far enough away - you mentioned you've done this. Do double check to make sure all gutters are clear and good - watch next time it rains. And, that underground gutters are truly draining out. Our city in-ground gutters often don't work. We often pull our city gutters out, fill the holes with brick/cement to prevent rats, etc. and re=rout the gutter). Sloping the grade away from the house fixes much of the leaking into the basement, sometimes it solves the problem entirely.

2. Seal Basement - Next time basement leaks, watch to see if you can determine how the water is coming in. Is it leaking in through the corners? From certain cracks (seal these first as opposed to the entire basement)? From where the wall meets the floor (if this is the case, I cut a small wedge with the grinder and them sealed with hydrolic cement)? The water finds a weak spot and comes in. Find it and seal it. The house I live in, I couldn't figure it out b/c the water table was so so high and water would come in so fast. So, I sealed the entire floor up to about two feet u the walls - painted sealer. This fixed the leaking. In my neighbor's basement, it was coming in where the wall met the floor. I also have a new leak starting from hydrolic pressure when it rains 1+inches w/in 24 hrs. non-stop - water spurts out of the wall pretty high up, so will seal that one spot. *Sealing the basement has been easier than installing a French drain b/c there is less maintenance digging and fussing. French drains get clogged eventually.

3. Other - After doing the above two steps, you may have solved the leaking, or it may be occurring in an isolated area at this point. If the leaking is in an isolated area, divert the water away from the house using a drywell or French Drain. Some ppl don't like drywells - I've never had a problem with them, but only made a short, small one.

4. Sump Pump - If 1, 2, and 3 fail...install a sump pump.