Keys to Maintaining Your Dry Basement

As a homeowner, you should be aware of situations that can occur that will circumvent the performance of TUFF-N-DRI®. Listed below are three steps that you should take to ensure you receive the performance in which you have invested.

1. Working Drain Tile
   
   

   A Drainage system was installed with TUFF-N-DRI® and must always remain functioning. This drainage system should empty by "gravity feed to daylight" or to a sump basket where water is pumped out. If this is the case, look for the exterior discharge point some distance from the house and at a point below the level of the basement footer. The drainage tile is usually a flexible 4-inch diameter black or white plastic pipe. After heavy periods of rain, you should see water flowing through the discharge pipe, or into the sump pit. If the drainage system doesn't work, the most likely symptom is dampness at the wall and floor slab junction. This is water trying to force its way up through the floor.
   
   

   What to do:
   
   If your drainage system goes to daylight, ensure that the tile opening has not covered with dirt, thereby blocking the water flow (see Figure 1). You might add a wire mesh cover to the opening to stop animals from nesting in the tile.
   If your drainage system empties to a sump pit, ensure that the sump is working. The sump should be activated before the water level reaches the level of the entering drain tile. This will help ensure the drainage tile can empty. Also, be sure to check that the drainage tile is connected into the sump pit. If you are in a high water table area, you may want the added insurance of a battery powered emergency backup pump.
   If the drain tile gets blocked for some reason, you can run a garden hose for 5 to 15 minutes into the pink foundation board in different location to help localize the blockage. Then you will want to snake your tile to unplug the system or use clean out points (if provided) to flush open the tile.
   
   

2. Proper Slope Away from the Basement
   
   

   Ensure that the earth slopes away from your basement walls. The grade should slope downward and away from the wall at least 5% (about 6 inches) over the first 10 feet surrounding the basement wall. Downspouts should direct water away from basement walls. Keep your gutters free of debris so that during heavy rains water does not splash up against your foundation. Also, sprinkler systems should not be allowed to soak the untreated concrete above the grade line. These practices help stop water from entering untreated walls or ponding against unprotected areas above grade.
   
   

3. Don't Let Grade Line Exceed Waterproofing
   
   

   Do not allow the grade line of your yard or landscaping beds to extend above the waterproofing. The waterproofing can only stop water from penetrating where it was applied. If water is allowed to enter above the waterproofing or water penetrates a brick veneer and runs down to an unprotected brick ledge, then a likely result will be water appearing at the top of the basement walls. In thee cases, water has circumvented the performance of TUFF-N-DRI®.
   
   

   What to do:
   
   Call T-N-D of Pittsburgh to come out and extend TUFF-N-DRI® up to the grade line. There will be a minimal charge for this service. Should you decide to add a patio, deck or room addition, instruct those doing the work not to damage the existing waterproofing. If they must attach rebar, another footer or brackets to a wall area, they should consult T-N-D of Pittsburgh for advice on how to prevent water from leaking around the attachments into the basement. Even when the attachments are not used, care must be taken that the sidewalk, porch or patio does not direct water toward the basement wall and an unprotected area.
   
   

4. Humidity and Condensation
   
   

   TUFF-N-DRI® provides exterior foundation insulation performance. The placement of the insulation on the outside allows the basement wall to remain warmer. This moves the dew point (the temperature at which humidity will condensate) of the wall toward the exterior. Hence, the chance of condensation on interior basement walls is reduced. However, other cold surfaces (pipes, windows, etc.) may still show condensation.
   
   During placement of a poured basement wall and floor slab, roughly 400 gallons of water is present in the concrete. In block construction, the floor slab will have roughly 200 gallons of water. This water must escape into your basement in the form of humidity. If during construction your basement is closed up soon after concrete placement, it is likely you will initially have a humid basement. An easy remedy is to circulate air into and around the basement for a period and run a dehumidifier for several weeks. Once the concrete gives up its water, it is unlikely you will have high humidity caused by construction. An unvented dryer or washing machine can also increase humidity.