Basement Leaking

EWen

Have considerable water entering the basement. I suspect the builder connected my downspout lines to my footing lines, and when the dry well is full (or the ground is saturated) the water from any rain runs down the lines and perks up from the front of the footings and in my basement. The higher the walls, to more water is coming in (I'm assuming because of hydrostatic pressure).

Then I discovered he has also connected my driveway drain to my downspout drain, so if I wash my car my basement fills with water. So additional concern is the system was engineered (maybe) to support water from the roof but not the water on my rather large parking area. Inaddition to water, my driveway is introducing sedimate to the equation - possibly affecting the system. It has not affected water flow, it runs from the driveway and perk up at the footings about as fast as I can walk around the house.

I'm sure I can resolve by digging up the two (or three) systems so the footing drains are isolated from the downspout and driveway drain, but is this even build to code in the first place - installing a system that leveraged my footings (and basement) as a leach field. I would be better off just capping footing drains for an emergency fix and letting my downspouts over flow and driveway flood.

If anyone can share what the footing and downspout (storm) system requirements are per IBC - it would be sincerely appreciated.. The house is 3-4 years old.

Thanks.

AllanJ

Reroute the driveway drain and the downspouts to spill all their water on the surface.

It is possible you need to regrade your land because water spilled on the surface next to the house must flow awy from the house to avoid basement flooding problems.

A dry well that the footing drains feed into may not have anything else fed into it. The footing drains should be left in place with basement openings remaining open and ground surface openings capped off and are this is not to be used as a leach field for downspouts, etc.

At a later date you could dig new underground drain lines for the downspouts. This is useful only where you have a downhill in back where the new drain lines, which must be pitched downward as they progress away from the house, will come to the surface (meet the surface).

__________________
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concretemasonry

Do it as soon as convenient.

The backwash water from the roof and driveway may contain seeds and other debris that could plug for drain tile and render it ineffective. - That can be nasty and expensive if you do not wave a way to flush it out.

Dick

EWen

Thank you for your replies!! I was assuming that the two systems should not be combined, one that is very active (downspouts/drains) with one that is typically (hopefully) inactive.

It never occured to me that other foriegn matter like seeds could enter the system and cause additional problem - totally makes sense. I'll have it separated by Friday PM.

Thanks again!!!

P.S. NICE FISH!!!

Cheers!!

EWen

Can anyone share the code number and actual verbage detailing the footings must have a dedicated drywell? I can see why this code is important from other devices that may clog the system forcing the water into the footings (and into my basement).

Thanks all!

Doug

jomama45

Your state may have specific codes, and still work from IBC. I cant help you with that part, but I can tell you that our state (we aren't IBC though) has no reference to drywells in the codebook.

EWen

FYI:
After two full days of digging discovered it was installed incorrectly. The storm drain (downspouts & driveway drain) runs around the building and down to the basement, running against the house about 18” out in front of the basement. It runs under the concrete patio about 24” and ‘T’s. The ‘T’ runs out to the dry well & to the footing drain.
It’s just about level, slight slope toward the dry well. Light rains it runs the correct direction. Heavy rains it runs both and introduces water into the footing drain & into my basement . It’s also a couple of inches above the footing drain, so the footing drain never really drains (except into my basement).
Have a plan to fix all this outside, now it time to work with our builder on the inside.
Fun fun!!
Thanks all, great forum J…
Cheers, D