A Water Management System

              It’s an old adage, but boats are made to be in the water it only becomes a problem when water is in the boat.  When your property’s basement allow water to seep through what do you do? First of all, do not ignore it. The first step is to investigate. Is the water entering because of poor exterior grading, or are there cracks in the foundation or walls. If this problem is left alone, it can cause serious trouble in the future. Not only can this cause rot to your floors and walls it can make the air quality of your structure.  The basement must become moisture free and keeping the structural integrity of its foundation.

With all the technology available today which one do you choose from? You need a water management system, so forget the line of thinking that you can do one thing and alleviate this condition.  Forget about water proofing your basement: think about managing the water.

First contact your architect, they have the means to assess the exterior and interior of your structure. Water intrusion isn’t always caused by weather conditions. Plumbing trouble, ventilation or shifts in the foundation could be the big issue. You need to find the cause of the issue to come up with the right water control system for your property.

What type of soil do you have around your basement. Clay absorbs water and swells put massive pressure on the walls causing cracks and permits water to seep through. Clay’s constant expansion and contraction may be causing your issues.  Are your walls allowing the water seepage or does the water come through the cove joint. (The cove joint is the space where the walls meet the floor of your basement.)  There is a myth about water proofing your property. Forget that. You will not waterproof your property, but you may be able to prevent the problem if you build the proper water management system.

 Look for cracks, no matter how small they may appear the need to properly be sealed. Where the pipes enter the walls has the hydraulic cements broken down, or crumbled. Sometime this can prevent much of your issue. Simply injecting an epoxy into the cracks can seem to fix it.  The truth is you may be able to temporarily mask the issue but the issue still will exist. You need a system. One with multiple components and one that has a secondary system which allow you to see the primary system may need help. Before grading your yard away from your structure, you need to ensure you do not need a French drain. If you need to install a French drain why not install dimple matting, waterproofing and large gravel in a clothe to protect the gravel bed from soil intrusion. Water seeks in own level so maybe digging a little deeper and installing a sub pump or two may be wise. Cleaning the window assembly may help prevent standing water. Your system will not be able to prevent water but hopefully you’ll be able to manage it and transport it away from your structure and to a safer area of daylight.

These may be large or small tasks but one thing we know is that when left unaddressed the issue grows. Consult an architect and develop your water management system, them maintain it to best manage your water before it becomes an issue.

Note: Images on this blog site are from a free source or taken by the author. No image or group of photos is intended to represent the people the author serves. The author does not care about Race (that is a politically correct term that he does not like because we are all of the same Race, the Human Race. He prefers the term ethnicity, color, religion, sex, gender, marital status, disability, genetic information, national origin, source of income, Veteran or military status, ancestry, citizenship, primary language or immigration status.) He is a service provider for all people. We will all rise together when we band together and help one another. Joseph Erwin is a Real Estate Broker, DRE # O2131799, and a CA general contractor # B 696662. He’s a member of the CRMLS and The East Valley Association of Realtors located in the Inland Empire region of Southern California.