A Bad Solution to a Wet Basement

If you’re considering solving your wet basement problem by digging up the earth outside your home, waterproofing the walls, and replacing the footing drain—don’t.  This is almost never a good idea.  All you’re doing is replacing the same system that failed you in the first place, and it’s bound to happen again later on down the road.

The excavation itself is an extremely messy and time-consuming process.  The hole has to be about 8 feet deep in order to reach the bottom of the footing and about 8 feet wide at the top.  And where will all that dirt go? It’ll be piled up in the rest of the yard, and about 25 feet of your yard all the way around your home will be destroyed.  Everything surrounding the area will have to be removed and replaced including driveways, sidewalks, and landscaping.

Once all the work is done and the soil is back-filled, it will take years for that loose soil to settle.  As it gradually settles, more dirt will have to be added against the foundation to keep the slope away from your home.

If that’s not reason enough to decide against this “solution,” there are also several other downfalls.  Exterior excavation doesn’t address water vapor coming through the floors or walls, it doesn’t fix humidity or mold issues, and it’s extremely expensive—up to $20,000!

Long story short, solving your wet basement problem from the interior is a much smarter and much more efficient solution.