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of Home Improvements

*Question & Answer Basement*

Dear Bob

Our basement flooded out during a rainstorm with sewerage. It is cleaned up now but I sure don't want this to happen again. Can you help me with some ideas?

Dear SEK

Call a licensed plumber to have a backwater valve installed. This will prevent sewerage from reentering your home.

Dear Bob

I have cracks in my basement wall and floors. How does this occur? Is there a way to repair these and prevent it from occurring again?

Dear Jeff

Cracks in your walls can be caused by several sources, resulting in several different effects. Cracks can be a sign of settling in the foundation. However, cracks can also be caused by pressure built up of water around and/or under your foundation. A crack in a foundation wall is a sign of movement. With an average of 50 tons resting on your foundation walls, the integrity of your walls must be maintained. I would suggest hiring a structural engineer to evaluate you problem and recommend a solution.

Dear Bob

We have a French drain in our basement but we still have water problems during the Spring and Fall rainy seasons. I checked to make sure the sump pump worked correctly and noticed that the holes in the perimeter drain pipe were facing up. Was the system installed correctly?

Dear SSD

The holes in the perimeter drain pipe should face down. When the holes are facing up the water can't drain until it is above the pipe. This causes leaks through every little crack in the foundation wall and footing. This French drain system is designed to intercept the groundwater pushing up from below the foundation. See our article on "French Drains"

Dear Bob

Sometimes we get a stench in the basement that smells like sewage. The sewer line runs below the concrete basement floor and is made of heavyduty cast iron. Do these heavyduty cast iron lines ever wear out or corrode?

Dear VY

Yes cast iron can corrode or rot through but it is rare. Before you rip up your floor make sure the cause of the odor is not something as simple as a dried out trap in a basement floor drain. Without a water barrier sewer gas and odors will back up into the house.

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