Has anyone installed there own basement perimeter drainage system, does it work? I figure its a relatively inexensive piece of mind before i finish my basement on my 50 yr old house. I remember seeing magazine advertisements for the channels, etc, for a diy install. I would be linking it to a sump pump. If you have done it please post how the install went. thanks.
My fathers basement used to get water when it rained hard. Sometimes it would get as much as .5-1 throughout. We cut the concrete around the perimeter 24 from the wall, then removed the concrete and 18 of dirt. We put in 6 of stone, perforated pipe to a sump crock, then filled the trench with stone and put 4 of concrete over it. The basement has been bone dry since, and that was 20 plus years ago. I have to add that we are contractors so we have an advantage over the typical homeowner, but other than a ton of bull work it is not too hard.
I guess I should be a little more detailed. The drainage system I was looking at was a plastic or metal channel that you adhere to the floor perimeter of the basment. Bill62's suggestion is certainly one of the best choices, but not something I can do myself easily or afford to do.
The junk on a floor (or a srface trench) is not a drainage sytem. It is just cheap collection sytem that collects water after it leaks in and does nothing to reduce the pressure, water and moisture under the floor.
The only good draiange system is instaled about or below the footings and consists of perforated pvc pipe, sone and sand with new floor sections poured over it. It can lead to a sump or a daylight drain is the situation permits.
A real system removes the water before it leaks, cracks concrete floors and raises the humidity.
I did mine myself with some help from my 12 year old son and a few buddies.
Dick
the drainage systems that you are contemplating will still leave you with moisture problems in your basement, doing the perimeter drainage system your self with a saw or concrete hammer is not that expensive to rent, the only problem is the hard physical work of cutting out the old concrete and replacing it.
life begins when the kids leave home and the dog dies
Tags: perimeter, drainage, system, drainage system, perforated pipe, perimeter drainage, perimeter drainage system
