Water in basement -- so many options, so many different costs

[Anonymous]

There is a really angry poster on this thread who is adamant that he has the best waterproofing system and for the life of me I cannot figure out which one it is. Interior drains, I think? Or there are two angry posters and one likes outside drains. I’m not clear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^^^

We ended up having waterproofing membrane on the inside to deal with this. They gave us a lifetime warranty because exterior drains fail all the time. Interior is super easy.

A membrane on the inside? That makes no sense for dealing with ground water.

[Anonymous]

We had multiple large cracks in our basement wall and everyone proposed crazy expensive solutions. As a temporarily solution we used hydraulic cement and it worked really well and no issues after that. We did it about 15 years ago and waited 8 before finishing the basement. We just put it on as best we could - it wasn't pretty. After that we also did the drylok paint (but waited about 2 years after the repair) to seal in the rest.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/DRYLOK-Fast-Plug-10-lb-Hydraulic-Cement-00924/100171483

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op, we had the same experience. We got 3 estimates and there was wild variability in pricing and suggested fixes. Options ranged from 2 inside sump pumps to 1 outside sump pump to just redirecting water from house. The problem was that cinder block is porous and due to electrostatic activity water flowed in after a heavy storm. This was in an area where the basement was underground but the outside terrain sloped a lot along the whole side of the house. The solution: They trended right next to our house to slightly below the foundation and then applied this miracle waterproofing membrane called Bithuthene along a big section where the water was coming in. This solved everything. Never another drop and we avoided having to install a musty smelly sump pump that would have just encouraged the water to be pulled through that cinderblock. Over 12 years later, still happy with that decision. Some other companies had proposed outlandish solutions where they would trench inside our basement floor in a giant U-shaped pattern to then place 2 sump pumps in. This solution which has worked phenomenonly well was quick and effective and kept the solution outside.

Do you mind sharing how much this cost and/or who you used?

This is the same contractor-guy with his BS story and he can't even spell. His mentioning the miracle membrane, Bithuthene is a dead giveaway. Electrostatic, porous cinder block is just hilarious. BTW, there hasn't been any cinder block since about late 1920s. I know you meant hydrostatic pressure on the CMU block but, electrostatic is a lot funnier. How does a sump pump "encourage" water to be "pulled through" the block? It, pulls it, somehow? Uses encouraging words? Come on water, you can push your way through that block. I know you can. Use some of the "electrostatic activity."

If you put in an interior drain the water seeps through the walls into the drain then gets pumped out.

If you put in a exterior drain the water never gets into the basement as it goes into the drain.

Seems clear to me.

VERY rarely is water going to "seep into the walls" and make its way down to the interior drain. I have never seen that.

I have had my basement torn apart numerous times. The exterior drain system failed along the footer of my foundation probably 50 years ago. Putting in a new drain system on the outside is essentially impossible as already spoken about up thread.

In this area, the water isn't "seeping" in, its findings its level through the soil below your basement slab and making its way into a perimeter drain inside the basement from below - if you have one. Then it is being pumped out from a sump pump crock where the drain leads to that crock.

None of this is rocket surgery. And the businesses that pray on people like it is are a bunch of assholes.

It really is that simple. It can be drained from the inside more effectively than the outside and new homes should have both outside and inside footer drains as now required in PG county. A complete drain system will include below-grade window taps, weep holes in the block, if it's block walls, to drain the water out of the block, a vapor barrier on the walls, and at least a footer drain, or a dual drain system that ties into a sump basin(s) with a primary and possibly a battery back-up if the basement is finished. No home repair contractor should prey on any homeowner. This stuff is simple to explain, and understand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you’re misinformed. Exterior drains are definitely still used/required.

Here’s Carroll County:
https://www.carrollcountymd.gov/government/directory/public-works/permits-inspections/residential-projects/residential-code-compliance-guidelines/

Of course if you have an existing house you can just get bigger gutters and call it a day but exterior drains are the standard.

Really? Link me to 5 basement waterproofing companies in this area and I'll bet you not one of them does exterior drain tile work. Not only is it not the standard, it's pretty much obsolete for water management of an existing home.

OP here. We have met 4 companies and they recommend an exterior French drain for $20k+

[Anonymous]

And WP/Checkbook recommend exterior drainage.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/06/29/smart-way-solve-wet-basement/