Drainage advice for Lancaster homeowners
Practical notes on wet yards, damp basements, sump pumps and downspouts.
What are the downsides of using a French drain?
A French drain can clog over time, needs somewhere downhill to send the water, means digging up part of your yard, and it will not fix a problem that is really caused by poor grading or overflowing gutters.
Read the answerIs waterproofing your basement a good investment?
Usually yes, if your basement takes in water and the fix matches the cause, but it is a poor investment when money goes to the wrong fix.
Read the answerHow to waterproof a basement wall from the inside?
You cannot fully stop water from the inside, but you can seal minor dampness with crack repair and a masonry coating, and you can control real leaks with an interior drain that feeds a sump pump.
Read the answerWhy does my basement get wet when it rains?
Most of the time, rain gets into a basement because water collects in the soil right next to the foundation, usually from gutters, downspouts or ground that slopes toward the house, and then it finds a crack, a joint or a porous spot in the wall or floor.
Read the answerInterior or exterior French drain for a wet basement?
Most wet basements are better served by an interior drain tied to a sump pump, but an exterior drain is the better fix when water pushes through the walls and the ground outside can be opened up.
Read the answerHow deep should a French drain be?
Most yard French drains are dug 18 to 24 inches deep, but the right depth is whatever gets the pipe below the wet layer and still lets it fall steadily to a place the water can leave.
Read the answerWhere should a French drain discharge?
A French drain should discharge at a point lower than the drain itself, well away from your house and your neighbour's, usually to a daylight outlet on a slope, a dry well, or a permitted storm connection.
Read the answerDo I need a sump pump with a French drain?
Only if the water your French drain collects has nowhere lower to go, because a French drain runs on gravity and a sump pump is what you add when gravity can't finish the job.
Read the answerWhy does water pool in my yard after rain?
Water pools when it reaches your yard faster than the soil can absorb it or the slope can carry it away, usually because of a low spot, compacted or clay-heavy soil, or roof water landing in the wrong place.
Read the answerHow do I keep roof water away from my foundation?
Keep the gutters clear, carry every downspout well away from the house, and make sure the soil next to the walls slopes down and away so the water cannot run back.
Read the answer
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Call (717) 010-0007 or send a request. Tell us what you are seeing and when it happens, and we will set up a time to look.