Concrete to fix water issue

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dwoolley

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IMG_1892.jpg Hi, I have been getting water into my basement for some time now. It comes from the wall that runs along the side of my driveway. I tried grading away from the house, but that didn't work. I get water in the basement from pretty standard rains when its been raining all day or even short heavy down pours. I want to put in a concrete driveway eventually and was thinking that maybe that would keep the water from seeping through the ground into my basement. Anyone think that putting a concrete driveway in would help keep the water from getting into my basement? Here's a pic of what my driveway current looks like. The water gets in through the corner next to the downspout and shovel.
 
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Welcome to the forum.


My guess is look at that down spout and the drainpipe taking that water away first. It may be flowing but not fast enough.
 
Thanks. I will give that a try. I will adjust the slope over the weekend. If that does not work, in theory would a concrete driveway all the way up to the house keep the water out? I would assume it would unless my water issue is from ground water which I’m basically 100% sure it is not.
 
right now you have a choice to dig out and water proof the outside and fix the drainage system at the bottom of the wall, or a water management system inside. The driveway may help the situation but if it doesn't, the only system would be the management system inside which would be a perimeter drain and sump pump below the floor.
 
If the driveway is built right up to the wall, and is sloped nicely away from the house, it should help significantly. But that is not a fix, its a band aid. And if you later decide to do the fix, it will likely mean taking a jack-hammer to the driveway.
 
Thanks. I will give that a try. I will adjust the slope over the weekend. If that does not work, in theory would a concrete driveway all the way up to the house keep the water out? I would assume it would unless my water issue is from ground water which I’m basically 100% sure it is not.

The house doesn’t look brand new. Has the problem always been there?


Where does that underground drain pipe go? The one from the gutter. How are you going to change the slope of it?
 
There is probably a blockage in the downspout extension underground, poor slope on the pipe, or something disconnected underground. I would run that downspout extension above grade, and as far as you can away from your foundation. Also, correct any grading at the foundation wall with a clay based soil if possible. Should help immensely.

Cheers from Winnipeg, Canada!
 
Had a similar problem once/ Investigation revealed that the downspout drain ran under the sidewalk and ended. Water is not going to soak away through packed driveway soil. Naturally it soaked right back to wall and into basement.
Tiling the water to a drywell in backyard solved the problem. You do have to get that water away from basement wall.
 
The drainage pipe runs to the front of my lawn and dumps out onto the sidewalk. I checked and the slope and it appears to be good. I doubt the gutters are clogged because they were put in last October. I know the underground drainage pipe is good because I cleaned that out earlier this year before we started having rainfall. I do want to run a camera down there to see if I can find any cracks. What type of interior drainage would you guys suggest? My thought is that a drain tile and sump pump system is more from subsurface water coming up not from rain and melting snow. On the wall that is bad you can see the dampness as the water runs down the wall. I can tell that the water has been getting inside for a longtime because of a little erosion in my basement floor where water has clearly sat.
 
The drainage pipe runs to the front of my lawn and dumps out onto the sidewalk. I checked and the slope and it appears to be good. I doubt the gutters are clogged because they were put in last October. I know the underground drainage pipe is good because I cleaned that out earlier this year before we started having rainfall. I do want to run a camera down there to see if I can find any cracks. What type of interior drainage would you guys suggest? My thought is that a drain tile and sump pump system is more from subsurface water coming up not from rain and melting snow. On the wall that is bad you can see the dampness as the water runs down the wall. I can tell that the water has been getting inside for a longtime because of a little erosion in my basement floor where water has clearly sat.

For the wall you still do the interior drain and add a curtain that seals the wall from the basement and feeds the water to the drain.


When you do this you drill into every cavity and there is a cavity between the blocks to so you have to drill in to the mortar between them too.
 

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