Drainage in Marietta, PA

Marietta sits on the east bank of the Susquehanna River, and the river, the slope and the age of the homes all shape what a drainage fix needs to be. Lancaster French Drain is based in Lancaster and travels to Marietta for site visits. This page covers what is particular to the borough, the work we do there and how a visit goes.

Drainage on the Susquehanna riverbank in Marietta

Marietta is a small borough on the east bank of the Susquehanna River. It covers 0.75 square miles, and the river forms its southern edge, with Hellam Township in York County on the far side. Market Street runs the whole length of town, and Waterford Avenue divides east from west. Streets near the water sit lower than streets further back, and rain follows the same slope the town does.

We have not walked every lot in Marietta, so we do not guess at soil from a map. What is true of most properties close to a large river is that the water table can sit higher than it does on a ridge, and it rises after a wet spell. When groundwater stands near a footing, it pushes against the basement wall and uses any crack, joint or floor edge it can find. A lot at the bottom of a block can also collect runoff from the lots above it.

Marietta is a compact town with houses close together. That limits where water can go. A downspout that empties beside a foundation, or a driveway that slopes toward the house, has few places to send water except into the neighbouring yard or into your own basement. Any drainage plan here has to respect the tight lots and the property lines.

Older homes and what they need

The borough was incorporated in 1812, and the Marietta Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Many homes here are old. Older houses often have stone or block foundations, mortar joints that have worn over decades, and little or no footing drain. Some have cellars that were never meant to stay dry, and some have clay or cast iron drain lines that have settled or cracked.

In an older house, the usual signs are a damp smell, white mineral staining on the wall, flaking paint at the base of a wall, and water along the floor edge after rain. These point to groundwater or surface water finding a path in. They rarely mean one single crack. We look at the whole picture, inside and outside, before we suggest anything.

If your home is in the historic district, tell us when you book. It affects how we plan work that changes the look of the front of the property, such as grading, visible drain outlets or exterior excavation.

Drainage services we offer in Marietta

We offer three main services here. French Drain Installation is the core of our work: a trench with a perforated pipe in washed stone that collects groundwater and carries it away from the house. It also covers curtain drains, foundation drains, interior drains and dry wells.

Basement Waterproofing covers wet basement repair, sump pump installation and replacement, foundation crack repair and crawl space waterproofing. It suits homes where water is already coming in or where humidity and mould are the main problem.

Yard Drainage covers the water outside: regrading, downspout drainage, catch basins, channel drains, swales, erosion control and culverts. In a town this size, the fix often starts with moving roof water and surface water well away from the foundation, which can be enough on its own.

We do not offer emergency or after-hours service. If you have standing water, the first step is to book a visit during our normal hours.

What a drainage visit in Marietta looks like

We travel from Lancaster, and we have no office in Marietta. Before the visit we ask a few questions on the phone: where the water shows up, when it happens, and whether it follows rain or stays all year. That helps us arrive knowing what to look for.

On site, we walk the outside first. We check the grade, the gutters and downspouts, where each one discharges, and any low spots along the foundation. Then we go inside and look at the walls, the floor edge, any sump pit and the signs of past water. We explain what we think is causing the problem, and we say plainly if a smaller fix will do.

If work is needed, you get a clear description of what we would do and where the drain would run and discharge. Nothing starts until you agree to it.

How to book a drainage visit in Marietta

Call (717) 696-1707 or email info@frenchdrainlancaster.com. Our hours are Monday to Friday 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM and Saturday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. We are closed on Sunday.

You can also use the Request a Drainage Visit button on this site. Tell us the address, what you are seeing and when it happens. Photos of the wall, the yard or the downspouts help. You can also start from the [Lancaster French Drain home page](/) and look at the work we do before you call.

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