CONNECTICUT
BASEMENT WATER CONTROL
This page is "the other side of the coin" - the side the "chain / dealership" waterproofing companies will not tell you about their buried pipe / duct procedures OR the local "handyman" doesn't have a clue about...
A plausible sales pitch can be made for ANY BURIED PIPE waterproofing system - on the face presentation it sounds like the greatest thing since bubble gum - all the "salesman" has to know is when to stop explaining it and they know when to stop...
Within the "home improvement business" this is euphemistically called "the half pitch" - accentuate the seemingly positive / eliminate the factually negative...
$$$$$ - Think you are getting the best job because it costs 8 / 10 / 15 thousand dollars or more - some might say you are being taken for a ride, big time - we agree!!!
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THIS PAGE DEALS WITH THE ESSENCE OF ALL BASEMENT WATER CONTROL PROCEDURES - WE SUGGEST YOU READ IT IN FULL AND CAREFULLY - YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE AND EVERYTHING TO GAIN BY BEING INFORMED (before the fact)...
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WHAT YOU WON'T BE TOLD BY THE "CHAIN" / "DEALERSHIPS"
WHAT WE DO NOT DO
WE DO NOT dig up your yard with huge machines, risk damage to utility / water lines / sewage lines / remove decks / porches / walkways / driveways and destroy your landscaping to install limited life "exterior footing drains" or "curtain drains"...
WE DO NOT sell "private label products" that are generically the same (by a common manufacturer) as "off the shelf" products but for which you pay 3/4 times more for their "private label" on it (paints, cement, epoxies, caulking, de-humidifiers, air exchangers, pipes, ducts, sump pumps etc, etc, etc)...
WE DO NOT claim to hold "patents" on products destined to a short effective life span - would you buy sand paper textured toilet tissue because someone had a patent on it???
WE DO NOT paint, glue, tar, epoxy, rubberize, surface patch, inject or caulk to do any temporary "bandaid" wall or floor crack repair - we do not do jobs that degrade, push off or peel off in short order leaving even a bigger mess and cost to remove - we do permanent closures only...
WE DO NOT do "bentonite injections" next to the outside foundation walls or under the floor - "bentonite" with constant over exposure to water becomes saturated and thinned out to a point of no value - it is the primary ingredient in "kitty litter" - have you ever had to clean up over saturated "kitty litter" - that's what will be next to your foundation (kitty litter soup)... NOTE (quote): Under Title1, Property Improvement Loan Program, the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) "does not permit loans to be made for waterproofing of a structure by pumping or injection of any substance in the earth adjacent to or beneath the foundation or basement floor"...
WE DO NOT sell, install or recommend expensive "emergency backup sump pumps" (a sales path that plays on the fear factor) - these battery powered "gimmick" pumps will only run continuously for approx. 3 to 5 hours (regardless of claims otherwise) and at a declining performance rate as the battery wears down - how many times would you be able to start your car, off the battery only, if you disconnected the alternator - same principle - during a heavy water event the pump can turn off / on 20 / 30 times, or more, per hour and every start requires a power surge - the special and very expensive battery ($250.00 to $400.00 each) must be replaced every few years whether you use it or not - if you are subject to long power outages you would be better served with a portable gas generator, for many $$$ less than one of these "ineffective bill jacking pumps", that will maintain your full pumping capacity for as long as required plus give you a few more outlets for lights, (well) water, refrigeration etc - there are many small, easy to operate, reliable and inexpensive home generators available that are perfect for this type limited, if ever, use (and half the price on one of these mickey mouse pumps)...
WE DO NOT tell you that you need, and push you to buy, everything in the catalog - buried pipe/duct, "special" sump pump, large hp pumps, emergency backup sump pump, dehumidifier, flashing lights, alarm system, phone connections, air exchangers, finish your basement etc, etc, etc - this is called "pumping the bill" for a one time sales event - we will suggest what you need / no more no less...
WE DO NOT sell or install a plastic or metal "cove baseboard drainage system" - numerous pieces glued together, glued to the floor, leak, with no pitch retain standing water and promote surface condensation that in turn allows for mold growth - these systems are generally installed by "moonlight contractors" or sold by "web site marketers" and "hardware stores" to "do-it-yourselfers" and "gullible inexperienced buyers" with preordained results (failure)...
WE DO NOT do "interior french drains" - with these systems the pump is located so deep that you are constantly trying to pump the water table dry - that's not possible - you can install 10 pumps and that won't happen - a sump pump does not lower the water table / that happens naturally - when you hear the pump go on (constantly) you assume it's doing a great job but you are only pumping the "same" non-threatening water over and over, forever - it's like pumping water out of one end of a pool and putting it back in on the other end - you can go through many pumps without once being in danger of flooding - this procedure also requires cutting the floor all the way thru, 18 to 24" away from the wall, which removes it off the support of the footings - this structurally compromises the floor and is addressed elsewhere on this page...
MAJOR WATER ENTRY COMES FROM THE COLD JOINT OR FLOOR CRACKS OR OPENINGS - THE ONLY WATER OF CONCERN, THAT CAUSES FLOODING, IS WATER THAT REACHES THE UNDERSIDE OF THE FLOOR WITHIN THE INSIDE PERIMETERS OF THE FOOTINGS
Our "optimum depth" shallow sump pump polyethylene well, approx. 16" deep and is fully code compliant, prevents the "flooding" level from being reached - you can also pump silt (dirt), at unnecessary depths, that can undermine your footings and floor substrate which causes settlement - we use a blank well and drill out, after opening the floor, the water entry holes as required for your particular job requirements...
"Interior french drains" are touted as being the best by "chain" / "dealership" operations who only look to a one time sales event - big buck - big profit job - we see jobs all the time that have these buried systems, inside & outside, and water is still coming in - when buried in mud, which is what the water table is, "precipitated sediment" buildup in inaccessable perforated pipes cause these systems to clog and fail - WHAT DO YOU DO THEN??? - "LIFETIME" or "FOREVER" GUARANTEED??? - DON'T HOLD YOUR BREATH WAITING as anyone who has been down that road can tell you...
WE DO NOT install a "perimeter duct" or so called "clean water" procedure that is placed on top of the footing then covered with concrete - to install this plastic or metal perforated duct the floor is cut, all the way thru / off the support of the footings, 5" to 12" away from the wall and removed, the same as french drains - see next paragraph as pertains to this practice - we have been using a "clean water" procedure for 12 years, with not 1 failure, but do not cut the floor off the footings or bury any duct to achieve it...
Are you concerned about RADON GAS ??? - These "perimeter drains" are offset from the wall approx. 1/4" on every wall - this allows direct access to RADON GAS from under the floor to enter on every wall that this "perimeter top of the footings" duct is installed...
(special note) WE DO NOT do any "full thru cutting of the concrete floor that removes it from the FULL support of the footings on it's perimeter" to bury perforated pipe or duct under the floor for "interior french drains" or on top of the footing "clean water perimeter drains" - whether the floor is cut 5 to 6" off the wall (for top of footing perimeter drains) or 18 to 24" (for base of footing french drains) the issue is the same - either cut removes it from the support of the footings - up to 20% of your floor weight is supported on its perimeter by the footings which only projects about 4" from the wall (under the floor) - cutting out beyond 4" means your floor has been "structurally compromised" and must now be fully supported by the substrate alone (a floating slab) that to varying degrees has most likely been undermined by water which causes settlement - the transfer of the entire floor weight is then on the substrate alone - that causes additional compression of the substrate (settlement) - unsupported concrete doesn't bend - when it settles, from its own weight, it cracks...
WE DO NOT "tab cut" the floor then tunnel under the "tab" to install buried perforated pipe - uncut short tabs to support the floor are not strong enough to carry the overall floor weight with substrate settlement - if settlement can cause an entire uncut floor to settle what would you expect to happen if only tabs are used to support that weight - tabs will be the 1st to crack with any settlement - with settlement the floor cracks from its own unsupported weight and allows water to perk thru the cracks - ALSO, this procedue does nothing to remedy the failure from sediment buildup inside the pipe- this procedure was used, briefly, in the 1960's and has recently been resurrected as a new procedure - it was failure prone then / it still is - if you have put down a finished floor, rug/wood or tile, the flooring must be removed to address the cracks...
WE DO NOT do "exterior footing drain systems" - basically the same as interior french drains but on the outside with a gravity drain (no pump) - these also fill up with "precipitated sediment" (even quicker) then you get to dig it up and do it all over again until the next failure - whether the drain line is 10' long or 1000' long where do you think the water goes - right back in the water table - this procedure does not and cannot address a rising water table, period...
WE DO NOT pipe outside water inside - some so called "waterproofing contractors" that do exterior footing drains or curtain drains and cannot effect a gravity drain, rather than lose a BIG BUCKS job, may suggest connecting the exterior drain line to an interior sump pump - DUMB - a train wreck about to happen...
WE DO NOT cut the top of the footing to effect a gravity drain for under the floor water - the footings are the most important basic component of your home and cutting them is to invite disaster - we see this when a "handyman" or a "do it yourself" job is done - there is no effective way to correct this damage once the footings have been cut...
WE DO NOT do "curtain drains" - except for a shallow surface "swale" drain, such as a low spot where no foundation is at issue, a big buck useless dog and pony show - a break the bank procedure usually done by excavating contractors who want to keep their machines working for a better return on their investment - generally installed on one side of the house and can be up to 10' deep - 4" perforated pipe at the bottom - filled with stone - even worst when the trench is dug next to the foundation (then called a "footing drain") - curtain drains DO NOT address a rising water table (the cause of major water entry), water that routes around them, through them when the drain pipe clogs with "precipitated sediment" and is still present between your house and the curtain drain - when the drain pipe fills with sediment (even with so called sleeves, wraps or screens) you have created a huge drywell (a water storage area) with all the stone used - that presents an even bigger problem to deal with - contractors who do this procedure also do REDOS and advertise that they do REDOS - does that tell you anything???...
WE DO NOT do "crawlspace encapsulation" with plastic sheeting (some we have seen used bubblewrap) that is used to hide and coverup dirt, water, mold, rodent or insect infestation (it would take a Norway rat about 10 seconds to eat thru this stuff and it makes a nice cozy home for them too) - the only crawl space work we do and will warrant is that with a minimum 4' headroom and with a concrete floor (anything less is a crap shoot) - you could pour a concrete floor for less than what these wrapping procedures cost - would you buy a house with plastic sheeting or bubblewrap for the walls and floor???
WE DO NOT do "exterior underground wall applications" (tar, rubber, spray, membrane etc) - this entails covering or spraying the underground exterior walls with "whatever" - usually a 10 year limited guarantee on moisture migration / blottering (wicking) through the walls - what happens to the water that is still present??? - as soon as it's backfilled the water (mud) is then subjected to hydrostatic pressure, joins the rising water table and then rises under the floor (water seeks it's own level) allowing for the water to enter through the "cold joint" or "floor cracks" - either way you still get water - when you tell them that water is coming in they will tell you that their "limited guarantee" is for moisture blottering thru the walls, not the floor, and they will be right (they will not mention this at the point of sale) - since you cannot cover the underside of the footings and the underside of the floor you have only done 1/2 the job - the "cold joint", where the wall and floor meet on the inside, is the #1 water entry location that causes flooding followed closely by floor cracks or any floor openings and with walls a very remote 3rd - this type exterior wall application is generally done by new construction builders to create a favorable sales illusion which on the face of it sounds great - this "limited life" type application however does not prevent water entry or flooding and over time also loses it's wall bonding anti-wicking properties as well...
WE DO NOT "bend words" to create the illusion of a unique remarkable "special procedure" that only we do - such as a "pressure relief system" - this one is a pip - do you know what that actually is - a hole in the floor - the sump well pit, in and of itself, is a below floor pressure relief system and that's necessary for all procedures...
WE DO NOT (to vastly increase the profit) use cheap, off the street as needed, illegal???, off the books / paid in cash daily and inexperienced day laborers to do our jobs - every town has a group of these guys waiting on a street corner every morning to be picked up for a days work - ILLEGAL OR OFF THE BOOKS MEANS "YOU" WILL BE LIABLE IF THEY ARE INJURED ON YOUR PROPERTY (ask any attorney)...
WE DO NOT act as subcontractors for any other waterproofing company or trade contractor - we assume full liability for all work done by us - we deal directly with primary owners or association liability jobs only - and, we do not use subcontractors to do our jobs...
WE DO NOT pay ANY listing advertiser, web site, reporting service, organization or association to be "referred", "ranked", "rated", "recommended", "approved", "sponsored" or "accredited" on their website - PAY FOR PLAY (the more you pay the "higher your rating" regardless of complaints or failures) - we do not pay any membership fees, royalties, commissions or kickbacks to anyone for "their unqualified approval" - - our 12 year record with NO complaints, NO failures and NO litigations speaks for itself...
WE DO NOT use "hard sell salesmen with a big buck commission incentive" - you will get a comprehensive, ungilded and honest evaluation with both the pros & cons up front and directly from a "tradesman" not a "salesman" - we do not only tell you "what you want to hear" just to get the job - have you ever heard any "salesman" tell you the "cons" about anything he was pushing??? - we will even if it means losing the job - we have a perfect performance record since starting AAA Home Repair in 1999 and intend to do all we can to keep it that way - if that means losing a few jobs along the way then so be it - we will give you our recommendations & bottom line quote and thereafter the ball is in your court - we will not bug you (daily as the "chain" / "dealers" will do) after our evaluation / estimate, dropping the price a few hundred bucks with each call, but we will be available to you should you have any questions...
WE DO NOT "bait & switch" - we were told by a customer that he was sold a perimeter drain system for many thousands of dollars - when they arrived to do the job he was told, for unspecified engineering reasons, they could not install the system he was sold but would do a "cove baseboard" installation (a do-it-yourself job) instead for the same price - the "cove" system is a fraction of the "dug" cost procedure but they offered no adjustment in the price quoted - BAIT & SWITCH...
WHAT WE DO ON THE NEXT PAGE
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KEEP READING - GET EVEN SMARTER!!!
WE'RE JUST GETTING WARMED UP...
If you wish to view a full page more of "INSIDER" LESSONS LEARNED OVER MORE THAN 45 YEARS in the construction trades visit our introductory website -- aaahomerepair.com -- under the "CAVEAT EMPTOR" heading...
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Totally confused???
Been given unaffordable numbers ($$$)???
Didn't understand what they were talking about???
Talked to so many people you forgot who said what???
We keep it affordable and understandable...
When you get ready to go
just pick up your phone
it's that quick and easy
There will be NO pressure to "sign up on the spot"
or
daily phone calls, every day thereafter, if you don't
PRESS THE FOLLOWING BUTTONS
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203-743-6988 24/7/365
WE DO KEEP IT "SIMPLE"
We use only 3 basic principles of natural science...
hydrology 1 - underground water is subject to hydrostatic pressure
hydrology 2 - water seeks its own level
hydrology 3 - hydralic conductivity / water follows the path of least resistance
THAT'S IT, PERIOD
ANYTHING MORE IS WHISTLES AND BELLS
YOU CAN BUY A "SALES PITCH" OR A SYSTEM THAT WORKS...
THAT CHOICE IS YOURS...
