Simple Remedies Fix Some Wet Basements
Does your basement get wet every time a heavy rain storm blows through or when the ground becomes saturated?
Local experts say you should consider some inexpensive, common-sense ideas before you think about expensive fixes like French drains and sump pumps.
Rodney Harkness, an East End house inspector, said the secret to a dry basement is diverting water away from the house's foundation. Often, basic home maintenance will help take care of this.
"What I find is that most serious problems are aggravated by poor maintenance. Gutters are clogged, downspouts are leaking, drains are clogged," said Harkness.
At Odd Jobs, we’ve found this to be true in practice. Every situation is different, just like every house is different. Many times, an expensive French drain system isn’t necessary at all, and it always makes us feel good to inform a distressed homeowner that their fix won’t be nearly as expensive as they’d feared.
We pride ourselves on accurate fixes, not expensive ones – it’s a matter of trust and integrity. We offer a six-month warranty on everything we do, reflecting our commitment to doing good business.
While we can (and have) installed French drains, more than half the time we can fix a wet basement by other less costly means. We’d estimate that only about 20-30% of the people we’ve spoken to actually need a full-blown French drain and sump pump system to fix their basement water issues.
A French drain system often costs more than $2,500, including the cost of a sump pump system. French drain / sump pump systems can even cost upwards of $25,000 in some cases, depending on the work required. These buried drainage systems, which collect and channel water, can solve problems, but also can create new ones if they clog or are improperly installed.
And the insult to injury is that these systems are so destructive to install, that you'll probably have to repair your walls, floor, and maybe replace your ruined carpet afterwards. Unfortunately, if homeowners speak to a basement waterproofing company prior to speaking to us, they might not be made aware of alternative remedies in time to avoid all of these expensive bills. I can't even count how many basements we've been called in to repair after the waterproofing company was finished.
What’s unfortunate in the home repair industry is that if the only remedy you have to sell is a hammer, then every problem needs to be a nail. That just means that waterproofing companies are there to sell as many French drain systems as possible - not brick re-pointing services, concrete fixes, gutter cleaning, planting grass seed (yes, this has worked for us), or other less costly potential remedies that might also keep the water out of your basement depending on your unique situation.
The great thing about saving on a huge French drain bill, is that you can put the resources that you would have spent on that toward other things that you really want to do in your home - like remodeling that powder room that you've never liked, or fixing the broken concrete walk in front of your house. We'll be happy to quote any of the above (or most anything else) for you.
Even if you’ve spoken to a basement waterproofing company already, you should at least call us at (412) 573-9101 to schedule a free site visit so that we can take a look at your specific situation and give you our honest opinion. You have nothing to lose by calling us, but potentially a lot of money to save.
If you’re one of the lucky homeowners who doesn’t actually need a French drain, we’ll be happy to save you a boatload of money with an equally effective, less destructive, and much less expensive fix if we can.
Some citations taken from:
Comments