Basement Water

[Thadeus]

Hello, I have a poured concrete foundation with an unfinished basement.

In that basement is a shallow sump well, maybe 15-20 inches deep. The well is permanently full of crystal clear water, 365 days a year. The water level is about 2 inches lower than my floor. My sump pump activates maybe once a day during dry weather periods and will run continuously during particulary bad storms.

I had one waterproofing contractor suggest that I have a spring below my house.

I haven't acted on the waterproofing estimate yet. Mostly because I would like to know all of my alternatives before installing a "drainage" system.

Does anyone have any ideas regarding how to handle this best... I'm open to outside the box type solutions.

Thanks, Thadeus

[Joseph Meehan]

I suggest you should do anything until you find out the source of the problem.

Most water problems are best solved by water control, not water proofing.

The fact that storms seem to increase the problem "..during particulary bad storms" leads me to suspect it is not a spring but surface water. The trick here is to get that stuff away from your home. Make sure all the roof water is being sent at least 20 feet from your home, more is better. Make sure the ground, drives, walks etc. all slope away from your home for at least 20 feet.

You seem to indicate that moisture is not coming in through the walls, so frankly I don't think water proofing is going to do a thing other than help the contractor make another boat payment.

It also sounds like you should consider replacing the sump pump with a higher capacity model.

[Patscga]

I had water in the basement after every heavy rain. A contractor put in French drains which fed the water into the sewer system. No problems now. And I NEVER had wet walls. Pat

[royroy]

I may be dense, but what is it you are trying to do: Get rid of the sump pump? Cure leaking walls? or floor? In other words, where is the moisture problem as opposed to what appears to be a properly functioning sump pump system doing its thing in keeping your basement dry?

[barry martin]

Thadeus:

T > I have a poured concrete foundation with an unfinished basement. T > T > In that basement is a shallow sump well, maybe 15-20 inches deep. The T > well is permanently full of crystal clear water, 365 days a year. The T > water level is about 2 inches lower than my floor. My sump pump T > activates maybe once a day during dry weather periods and will run T > continuously during particulary bad storms. T > T > I had one waterproofing contractor suggest that I have a spring below T > my house. T > T > I haven't acted on the waterproofing estimate yet. Mostly because I T > would like to know all of my alternatives before installing a T > "drainage" system. T > T > Does anyone have any ideas regarding how to handle this best... I'm T > open to outside the box type solutions.

You might have an underground spring or even a river, as someone else suggested. I used to live in a city where there was a waterfall but no river! My elementary school was "upstream" and a shopping mall was "downstream". No idea where the water came from or went.

Water will take the path of least resistance, so the French Drain suggestion makes sense, provided the exit for the drain is clear and lower than your basement. Otherwise you will still need the pump and if the electricity goes out.....!

- ¯ barry.martinþATþthesafebbs.zeppole.com ®

• With a good wind and the lottery, should be able to get halfway there!

[JMagerl]

How old is the house? I used to live across the street from a guy whose house was built on a spring. His sump pump ran every hour and the back yards of 10 houses were pure mud from his discharge. The city finally let him discharge into the storm sewer to quiet the neighbors. The problem cured it self. Over time as the area was built up, the spring flowed less and less. 5 years after the house was built there was no more spring, At that time there were houses 1/2 mile all around us.