Having A House Built? Don't Forget To Have A French Drain Installed
One of the problems with having a new home built is that even if you have had a perk test done to ensure the ground drains properly, there is no way to know for sure that you will not end up with a yard or basement full of water. There could be extra precipitation or you could have a problem in your plumbing that ends up creating a damp or wet environment. You may not be concerned about a bit of water accumulating in the yard or having a damp basement, but if left unattended, this moisture can cause all sorts of trouble with the foundation of the building. Instead of waiting to discover if you have a moisture problem or not, have a French drain system installed as the house is being built; it will save you time, aggravation and money. A French drain diverts the water away from the building, to a place where it will be absorbed into the ground. Most drains allow the water to drain out of the basement, but into the ground directly under the floor or around the walls. If the ground is saturated it will just seep back into the basement or sit around the foundation.
Interior French Drain
When you notice that everything in the basement seems damp or moldy, or the walls seem to leak, you have a problem with moisture. The best way to ensure that this moisture has a place to go, instead of hanging around and causing damage in the basement, is with a French Drain in the floor around the interior of the walls. If you have this down as the house is being built you won't have to worry about moving the walls to get to the foundation footing to dig the trench.
Exterior French Drain
If you notice the yard does not drain as well as you would like, and the sitting water is sitting around the foundation, having a French drain installed around the perimeter of the house can be the solution. Having this done as construction is occurring ensures that you do not need to dig up any landscaping or move a porch or tear up a patio to have the drain installed. You can also have an exterior drain system put in to keep any ground water from seeping into a basement, but the ditch would have to be deeper than the basement to do the job properly.
Concrete and wood are both damaged by water sitting against them. Even if you have vinyl siding, the water can seep under it and cause damage you may not see until the walls or floors start to sag or crumble. To keep your home as protected from water damage as possible, have a French drain system installed before the house is built. However, if there is not one in place when you buy the property and you are worried about water, you can always pay more and have one installed by professionals, such as Perma-Dry Waterproofing & Drainage, Inc., to prohibit further damage to your home.
