Several strategies can be used to keep basement dry
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The sump and the pump must be clean and in good working order to be effective. Steve Coyle of Yardley, Pa., is shown cleaning his sump pump after water entered his basement on Sept. 20, 2004, when the remnants of Hurricane Ivan caused major flooding in Eastern Pennsylvania. -
What the inner workings of a newly installed sump pump look like in a basement.
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Aside from being a nuisance, a leak can cause substantial damage to framing, wall and floor finishes, and personal property and can be the source of life-threatening toxic mold. Consequently, a leak never should be taken for granted, and maintenance -- caulking, painting, roofing, flashing, etc. -- should be performed on a regular basis to prevent it.
A basement is particularly vulnerable to leaks due to its proximity below grade. Water always takes the path of least resistance, easily making its way "downhill" into a basement through the walls and floor.
A basement is a lot like a boat -- although the interior should remain dry, it rarely does. The difference is that a boat can be hauled out of the water and repaired. Waterproofing basement walls from the exterior is the most effective way, but it is generally not practical. It is costly and can require major excavation and removal or disruption of porches, patios, decks, walkways and landscaping.
There are steps that can be taken to help dry out a wet basement without bringing in a backhoe. The process begins with good water management at the exterior. The first and easiest means of water management is also the most overlooked -- gutters and downspouts.
The average roof sheds a monumental amount of water. Unless there are gutters, downspouts and a drainage system that transports water away from the home's perimeter, that water will end up in the basement. If your home doesn't have gutters and downspouts, install them. If it does, keep them clean.
Unfortunately, clean gutters and downspouts do not guarantee a dry basement. A common mistake is to place downspouts where they discharge at the base of the foundation. This can convert a damp basement into a flooded one. All downspouts should discharge into a solid drainpipe that carries water a minimum of 10 feet from the home. Ideally, the drainpipe should empty into a municipal storm drain or other collection system.
Another means of managing water is to minimize vegetation close to foundation walls. Doing so will reduce the amount of irrigation at this location. Vegetation that remains should be watered with drip irrigation rather than sprinklers.
Still another means of managing water is to ensure that the ground surrounding the house is graded to slope away at a rate of 1/2 inch to 1 inch per foot. Don't wait for a rain storm to test watershed and drainage; use a garden hose. Puddles are a sure sign of low spots that should be filled in with soil.
If your lot is terraced, an adjacent lot is higher than your lot or your lot is on a hillside, you might be a candidate for a French drain. This subsurface water-collection system consists of a trench, (typically at least 1 foot wide and a minimum of 3 feet deep), that contains rock and perforated drainpipe. The drainpipe is installed (perforations down) on a thin bed of gravel at the base of the trench. The perforated pipe connects to a solid pipe used to transport water away to a storm drain or other collection source. The design of a French drain should not be arbitrary. Consult a soils engineer for specific design and installation details.
When all attempts to manage water from the exterior have been made and the basement still leaks, it's time to take action inside. Begin by repairing cracks in concrete or masonry basement walls using hydraulic cement. Applying one or more coats of water-locking masonry paint to the floor and walls might stave off mild dampness, but it is no solution for major leaks.
More drastic measures for controlling a wet basement involve the installation of a water collection system much like the French drain along the inside perimeter of the basement. A narrow section (about 12 inches) of concrete is removed and rock and perforated drainpipe are installed. The drainpipe empties into a sump pit and then is pumped up into the sewer or out the foundation wall and into a drainage system.
A sump pump doesn't guarantee that your basement won't flood during a major storm. Your best insurance against a major flood is ensuring that the sump and pump are clean and in good working order. Periodically remove the pump from the sump pit and clean the intake ports and filter screen (if one exists). Check for loose connections and rusted screws and replace as necessary. Remove any debris from the sump pit, reinstall the pump and pour buckets of water into the sump pit until the pump goes on.
As added protection, the sump pump should be on a dedicated electrical circuit and have a battery backup should power be lost. Power often is lost during storms, the time when a sump pump could be most needed.
Home improvement manuals illustrate the number of factors that go into determining the cost of built-in cabinets: type of wood and thickness, joint construction, type of paint or stain and varnish, door-hinge type, drawer-glide type, overall cabinet size, whether the cabinet finish is applied to the inside, the outside or both, door style and door thickness. And these are but a few of the almost endless choices to be made.
There is another major cost consideration that easily can be overlooked, and that is how many doors and/or drawers a particular cabinet, or set of cabinets, contains.
Drawers can be made from as few as five pieces of material -- a bottom, two sides, the back and the front. A door, on the other hand, can be made from just one. Although smaller, a drawer front can be as difficult to mill as a door. Also, a drawer rides on tracks called glides that are substantially more expensive than the pair of hinges on a door.
Thus, a cabinet with one door will likely be less expensive than a cabinet with a door and a drawer or three or four drawers.
Trying to cut costs can backfire. For example, using one door where two have been designated could be a mistake for a couple of reasons: First, one large door can be cumbersome to open in a tight space like a kitchen or bath, and second, the larger the door, the more prone it is to warping and twisting. Also, a kitchen with only a few drawers could be unappealing and inadequate. Older kitchen design included one bank of drawers per kitchen plus several other modules each containing one drawer and one door.
Be creative. Develop a design that will make your kitchen, bath, office or entertainment center versatile and practical.
Repairing a noisy water heater requires nothing more than a good cleaning. Here are the steps:
• Shut off the water supply to the water heater.
• Attach a hose to the water heater drain and completely drain it.
• Close the drain and add approximately 5 gallons of water to the heater.
• Pour the cleaner Mag-Erad into tank. Use one can for each 30 gallons. Follow instructions on can.
• Fill and drain water heater until draining water is fresh and clear.
Cleaning your water heater will eliminate the popping sound and will make it more energy-efficient.
First Published December 17, 2011 12:00 am
