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Making Things Right Again

Consider An Interior Drain And Sump Pump For Waterproofing Your Basement

21 October 2020

Edna Prescott

If you've just gone through the process of drying out your basement after a heavy rain, you probably want to make sure your basement never floods again. A wet basement causes all kinds of problems for your home, such as causing an increase in pests, creating a foul odor in your home, increasing the risk of mold, and making your basement useless space.

A waterproofing method to consider is having a sump pump installed so water is pumped out before it can flood your basement again. Here are some things to know about basement waterproofing.

There Are A Few Options To Try

Start by talking with a basement waterproofing contractor to see what method is best for your situation. There are external methods that involve putting a drain in the ground near your home or covering the exterior walls of your basement with a membrane, but these methods require excavating your yard, so you may want to do something different.

Internal waterproofing consists of burying a drain in your basement floor that empties in a well with a sump pump. This is a less disruptive method of making sure your basement stays dry.

An Internal Drain Requires Some Digging Too

The drain that's put in your basement has to be placed under the concrete slab and low enough that water falls in it before getting in your basement. This requires busting up the concrete, but all the work is done inside and it's less disruptive overall than burying a drain outside. Plus, your plants and lawn won't be bothered when all the work is done indoors.

You Have A Choice In Pumps

You may want a contractor to help you choose the right sump pump as there are different kinds. Some are submersible and are placed inside the well, while others stay dry and rest on the basement floor. The ones that stay dry are easier to service, but submersible pumps are quieter and more powerful.

You may also want a backup pump in case the primary one malfunctions. At the least, you'll probably want a battery backup so your pump keeps working in a storm. The purpose of the pump is to remove rain that's collected in the well. The pump moves the water through a pipe and out of your house where it drains away so it can't cause a problem with your basement or foundation.

If your basement only floods when it rains hard, you may not need to use a sump pump very often. However, it's good to have a waterproofing method in place, so when a rare, heavy rain happens, you don't have to repair water damage to your basement again.

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