Foundation Drainage

[MasterPlumbersKeymaster]

I have a problem with water pooling under my house after a rain. I built up all the lowspots I found and graded it, but I still have water under the house I need to get rid of. There are trenches dug along the interior of the foundation, but the water still has no where to go. What should I do to correct this?

[SylvanLMPParticipant]

Depending how low your drain piping is if you can install an area drain to flow away by gravity.

If not you can install a sump pit with a pump discharge to your normal storm line piping OR install perforated piping and pitch this piping away from your home as long as your not on the right of way of someone else’s property line

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SylvanLMP

[John Aldrich1Participant]

CFiscus3, another option available for the final disposition of the water accumulating in your basement from storm events is the option of pumping this valuable resource into an underground reservoir. The water could then be used for irrigation, or as a source for a water feature in the landscape.

This type system is now possible with the use of a product called “Rainstore3”, and a liner material called “Bento-Mat”. The Rainstore3 is manufactured by “Invisible Sructures, Inc.” The Bento-Mat is manufactured by CETCO.

Now Fiscus, you should consider harvesting this valuable resource and putting it to beneficial use. JWA

John Aldrich
Septic System Consultant
[email protected]

[SylvanLMPParticipant]

Hey why just stop at getting rid of this Nuisance water?

Why not take this water and place it underground way below frost line THEN in the winter months you can tap back into it for Geothermal heat and in the summer months use this water supply for supplementing your air conditioning requirements with a return circulation manifold set up with a bronze circulator and a water treatment facility using reverse osmosis so you can claim the natural elements out of this water and BEAT the local water department out of metering your water to boot.

Then use solar power to heat this same ground water for showering and possibly use wind power to operate the bronze circulators.

Dang why not purify this water and sell it to the municipality during the dry season?

Now consider a hydro pneumatic tank so you can supply neighboring towns that want to have pure water from your reverse osmosis system with chlorine free water and go into Gray water reclaim systems WOW aren’t you thrilled you asked your question LOL

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SylvanLMP

[GuestParticipant]

Water is like electricity and will take the path of least resistance .
Two task need to be done to correct your problem. The first is to seal your foundation and the second is to give the water that is in the ground a place to go. The ideal way to go about this is to dig around your foundation coat the walls with tar . The install drainage pipe ( The kind with holes the entire length ) and stone, the pipe must be run to daylight or a curb drain. The pipe must also be below the footings to your house. Do not forget the first line of this post and you will be OK.

[John Aldrich1Participant]

CFiscus3, the analogy presented by David Francis holds true from another aspect, both water and electricity are increasing dramatically in cost. If SylvanLMP wishes to call the water under your home “Nuisance water”, then he must answer the following. At what volume does this “Nuisance Water” become a valuable resource?

I am frankly perplexed, disappointed, and surprised at the sarcastic nature of SylvanLMP’s response to my suggestion that you consider a “Resource Recovery System”. I have read a great many of his responses on the MasterPlumbers.com Bulletin Board, and articles he has authored in the MasterPlumbers.com Plumbviews web page. He has stated in the past, a universal need to conserve water, and electricity, and wasn’t shy about implementing somewhat complex technology to accomplish this noble goal. He is a consumate expert in seemingly all aspects of the plumbing industry.

“Efficiency of Hot Water Recirculating Pumps”, is the title of an article written by SylvanLMP for Plumbviews on July 23, 1999. I would like to quote a paragraph from this article.

“As more and more localities meter the water and prices start to sky rocket as clean fresh water isfind and as more water is wasted and larger pipes are needed to convey water to your home and other people who waste water and your Gas/Electric bills climb higher to make up for people literly(sic) throwing HOT paid for water down the drain.” (This is the longest incomplete sentence, with no puncuation, that I have ever read.) “Then you can tell me if it is cheaper to install an INEXPENSIVE efficient bronze circulator or not?”

In another article for Plumbviews dated April 3, 2000 titled, “World’s Water Shortage”, SylvanLMP restates his recognition of the importance of water conservation. “The problems today is finding clean water as with urbanisation and industry came pollution. Thankfully we have the means and the knowledge to recycle the poorest of water quality with various systems. It just has to do with how badly we want to conserve and what sacrifices we are willing to do for the limited amount of CLEAN water available to us on this planet.”

So we know that SylvanLMP is committed in theory to water conservation practices, and utilization of Resource Recovery Systems. So why then the sarcasm?
Perhaps he is just having a bad day. Or perhaps the “low tech” nature of the system that I described does not require that the installer of the system be a Licensed Master Plumber. Fiscus, you can install the “Resource Recovery System” by yourself in one day. JWA

[SylvanLMPParticipant]

The install drainage pipe ( The kind with holes the entire length ) and stone, the pipe must be run to daylight or a curb drain. The pipe must also be below the footings to your house.

David My upstate brother. Come on guy you know the proper terms of “piping with holes” is called perforated piping and the holes are installed facing down with a layer of felt/nylon mesh to keep the silt out of this drainage pipe.

Now David about that bass fishing we talked about WHY not create a man made BIG lake and not only have it filled with this run off water but stock this lake with pike also and other fish also?

Now for the main gist of this topic was a slight ponding condition and it just escalated into an engineers dream drainage disposal system with all the bells and whistles. Unfortuntly I was just trying to make a better mouse trap LOL David send my best to Maureen ..AND yes we will go shooting this summer

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SylvanLMP

[Author]

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