Concrete Basement Construction Checklist Three and Four

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Install a perimeter footing drainage system to relieve hydrostatic pressure from surface water and table water. An exterior, versus an interior system, is preferred. However, many experts recommend both forms of drainage. When using both, the exterior system is used as the primary drainage system while the interior is used as a backup and for venting the soil of gases.

The drainage system should connect to a sump pump or go to daylight for a gravity discharge. For most residential applications, a 4-inch diameter perforated drainpipe is adequate. The top of the pipe should be below the level of the underside of the basement floor slab and should be completely surrounded by gravel on all sides. Also, make sure the Warm-N-Dri board is connected to the drainage. system by gravel, by weep holes, or by pipe through the footer to an interior drain. Check your local codes for minimum requirements. Then, plan to exceed them to be safe.

A clean-out point make drainage system maintenance easy. A solid PVC pipe connected to the exterior drainage system and extending to the grade level provides a path to clear the drain tile. For the interior system, the pipe extends to the slab. In both cases, the clean-out point should be at the furthest distance from the discharge. Also, the clean-out pipe should be sealed with a water tight cap. As the shape of the basement becomes more complex, the number of clean-out points should increase.Slab/Water

As basements become larger, the slab will be more susceptible to pressure from the water table. It is important to have a minimum 4 -inch layer of clean gravel spread evenly under the slab area for drainage. There should also be a pathway to relieve water pressure from the center of the slab. This can be done by digging a 6 to 8 - inch deep trench in an X pattern, filling it with clean gravel and connecting it to the drainage system. As the water table rises, the pressure is relieved through the pathways and then into the sump pump or daylight drainage system. Remember that the top of the perimeter exterior drain tile should be below the bottom surface of the interior slab.

Continue to steps five, six, and seven

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