Options for Repair: Conventional Drainage Methods
Exterior Crawl Space Excavation
Exterior Excavation simply means wet basement and wet crawl space remediation by reinstalling the same drainage system that was originally put into place by the builder (this is not the same as a system of French drains). The exterior of the home is excavated all the way to the bottom of the wall. A new drainage system is installed to correct the wet basement or crawlspace. The walls are re-sealed, and the area is re-back filled.
Interior Crawl Space Channel
Interior Channel is a drainage system installed along the interior side of the wet basement or wet crawlspace footing. An 18” wide trench is excavated around the interior perimeter of the basement floor alongside the crawlspace walls. A drainage system is installed in the trench and run to a floor drain or sump pump or battery back up sump pump. Gravel is used to back fill the trench, and the area is re-cemented. This method of waterproofing will correct many types of wet basement issues.
Multiple Crawl Space Drains
Multiple Drainage systems basically mean that a second, exterior surface drain is added to the Interior Channel system described above. The exterior earth areas around the home are dug 18” to 36” deep. A drainage system is installed into the trench and run to a sloped grade, or attached to a storm drain. These exterior surface drainage systems are generally hand dug, so there is no need for heavy equipment. This method of waterproofing but will correct many types of wet basement and crawl space issues.
Problems with Conventional Methods
Conventional drainage methods all have a couple of common problems:
- They are installed in the soil, allowing the same wet basement or crawl space causing conditions that caused their failure the first time—clogging!
- They require excavation of the soil, which creates a very messy and intrusive installation process similar to foundation repair!
- Because of the need for excavation in soil that has been settled and compacted for years, new settlement issues are a possibility.
- They are difficult, if not impossible, to service.
What if there was a way to solve the problem without any of the side effects of conventional drainage methods? No-clogging? No Trenching Mess? Less Intrusive Installations? Easy to Service?
