Water Problems & Sump Pumps

      

OPEN WATER TROUBLES:
This is a major problem in basements. However, it may be easier and less expensive to correct than a humidity problem. First, determine where the water is originating.

Gutters/downspouts-
All gutters, regardless of type, must be pitched toward downspouts so water can drain from the gutter into the downspout. If not, the water can overflow the gutter, run down the side of the house, through the foundation, and into the basement area. The right pitch is about 1/16-inch per running foot of gutter. Since this measurement is difficult to determine with a tape measure, try adjusting the gutter hangers, pour some water into the gutter, and watch the water f low out.

Hangers can be adjusted accordingly. Hangers should be spaced about every 3 feet along the gutter run. If not, water may have difficulty in f lowing through the gutter. Worse, water may not f low at all, adding too much weight to the gutter and causing it to sag or break.

At the points where the water flows slowly, or stops completely, adjust the pitch by bending the gutter hangers a little up or down. If the water puddles in one spot, bend the hanger nearest to this spot upward. If the hangers are the spike type, use a hammer to reposition them. To adjust the pitch of wooden gutters, you will have to remove the nails that hold the gutter to the fascia.

Then repitch and renail the gutter to the fascia. Downspout trouble usually can be found where the downspout connects to the gutter. This joint generally is loose if it has not slipped completely apart. Rejoin the downspout to the gutter by punching two or three holes through both the downspout and the tail of the gutter. Drive self tapping metal screws into the holes.

Water must be funneled away from the bottom opening of the downspout so the water doesn't back up and drain down along the foundation and into the basement. A splash block, properly sloped away from the foundation may be adequate. You may also need another length of downspout connected to the house downspout to move the water out into the lawn.

If the water problem is too much for a splash block or extension pipe, consider a dry well, see illustration. To construct a drywell, dig a hole in the lawn about 10 feet out from the house foundation. The holes should be deep and large enough to accommodate a 55-gallon steel drum. The top of the drum should be about 15 inches under the surface of the lawn. Before you dig, check for underground utilities.

Punch lots of holes in the drum; a metal drill bit in a power drill works well. Also punch a hole in the drum to fit the diameter of a plastic or metal pipe that will run underground from the downspout opening to the inside of the drum.

Fill the drum with gravel, old brickbats, broken concrete, and/or masonry debris. Then cover the top of the drum with a piece of pressure-treated wood. Tightly pack the dirt shoveled out of the drum and pipe back around the drum and pipe.

Dry wells should be positioned at all four corners of a problem house, or where the main downspouts are located. Some downspouts are centered in the gutter run.

Sump pumps-
If the house is built over an underground lake or river-or even near one--the open water problem most likely can be solved--or at least controlled--with a sump pump.

There are three types of sump pumps: pedestal and submersible, both of which ft into a pit or reservoir, and portable, which is more of a water vacuum cleaner than a pump. If you have frequent problems with basement flooding and the basement floor seems to be wet at all time, look into the possibility of adding a permanent pedestal/submersible sump pump. If your basement floods after a rain storm, a portable type sump pump is probably the answer.

Sump pumps are rated at GPM: gallons per minute. The more gallons per minute, the better the pump-usually. It is recommended that motors on pumps be 1/2-horsepower, although 1/3 hp are fairly standard. The larger motor will handle most flooding situations and provide that "extra margin" for little added cost.

The pits or wells that pumps go into are simply "sumps" or holes in a basement floor in which the pump is submerged. The liner for the sump can be a 24-inch-diameter drainage tile or pre-cast concrete drainage shell. The pump's suction head rests on a gravel base at the bottom of the sump.

The pump should have a check valve arrangement that prevents flow-back of water into the sump. It is recommended that the power to the pump be on a separate circuit. Use 12/3 wire and have the pump grounded to a receptacle box far above the "high water" mark in the basement. The sump usually is positioned at the lowest point in the basement.

Water from the sump often is piped into a sewer pipe or a dry well. Sump pumps sometimes are governed by local codes because of sewer restrictions. Check the local building authority on this.

A portable sump pump discharges water at about 20 feet in elevation. Therefore, the measurement should be made from the lowest part of the basement floor to the nearest discharge point.

<< Prev

Next