Photo Album: Getting Rid of Water Around the Basement

When water leaks into the basement it is often because it has built up around the foundation. This built up water exerts a force called hydrostatic pressure, which pushes the water into the basement through cracks and gaps. Getting rid of water in a basement can be a multi-step process, but one of the first steps is to keep water from building up there.   Homeowners will want to slope the ground around their homes away from the home, causing the water to flow away rather than build up. In addition to this, or if this is not possible, homeowners will want to extend rain gutters, downspouts and discharge lines away from the home. By installing a discharge line that collects water from these sources and drains away from the house, water that might end up next to the foundation is moved away before it can even get there.   In this home in Dorsey, IL. the downspout was tied into the discharge system so that water from the gutters and water from the sump pump gets dispelled away from the home where it can't re-enter the basement. For extra safety, the discharge lines included IceGuard™, which will keep water flowing out from the sump pump even if the other end of the line is blocked or frozen shut.    While there may be more steps in the waterproofing process for this Dorsey, IL. home, the homeowners can be assured that water from the gutters and from the sump pump will be expelled for good when it goes through the discharge line.