I'm considering building a basement studio, but I've got a few general questions about house foundations. I know this would be more appropriate for a general home forum, but everyone here seems to know there stuff.
I live in the mid-atlantic in a split level built in the early 60s. Basement size is approximately 23' x 26'. During times of heavy rainfall I can hear the sound of water trickling through the drain in the floor, though I cannot see running water. The concrete slab of my basement apparently sits on a layer of stones and water goes through these stones when it rains. A plumber who moved a sink drain (and had to break up concrete) mentioned there being a lot of flowing water under the concrete.
In the 6 years I've lived there, I have only had water in the basement once, it was a large puddle after an incredibly heavy rainfall last summer, about a week after I had my driveway and front steps redone. I don't know where the water came in, up through the drain or seeping in along a wall or the long hairline crack in the floor. I caught it too late to tell. Other than that the basement will just be humid in the summer, but I run a dehumidifier which clears up that problem.
My questions is whether my basement can be made a secure and dry place to put a home studio, and if so what would I need to do to make it so? Or, what should I research to figure out what I need to do? I still don't understand how the foundation of this house is set up, but it seems to be by design. Thanks for any help and sorry for the long winded post.
General foundation question
Originally posted at johnlsayers.com, topic 8580.
You need to figure out exactly where the floor drain goes to and what is under the concrete. Get professional help if necessary. After you know that, post a diagram of what you have.
I had drains in my the basement of my old house that drained to the back yard. I had to plug them before I finished my basement into a nice living space.
I went through a water intrusion of my own about three years ago, in a slab-on-grade home. Half of our 2,000 square foot home was flooded in an inch or so of water in about 90 minutes from a faulty toilet supply line. The damage claim ran about $75,000, displaced my wife and me and all of our pets for about a month, and was a major disruption in our lives.
Having gone through that, I would say that I would never build somewhere that I wasn't convinced would stay dry.
(Heh, that's funny -- we're in a major flood zone where a catastrophic levee break would drown our entire home, roof and all. I sure as heck hope the emergency levee repairs and that Folsom Dam auxilliary spillway construction get underway soon before the next major El Niño or Pineapple Express storm hits our part of the state, or we're in deep caca! :!: :evil:)
Let me tell you -- moisture is an insidious, nasty problem. Don't underestimate its power to destruct.
--Keith :mrgreen:
I have to agree with Btitune, you should hire someone local to figure out exactly what is going on.
Normally - if I set up an underground drainge system for a basement - I will also install a sump pump for those extraordinary rain events that comes every so often - it's cheap insurance even if it nevr ends up gtting used.
But no one can tell you anything from here........ except for that seeing as it is loud enough for you to hear - it will probably stop you from being able to record in heavy rains.
Sincerely,
Rod
I only know in a general sense whats under the floor. The drain goes out to the sewer line, so it is tied in with the rest of the house's plumbing. According to a contractor who did work there is stone under the concrete, through which water flows. Any suggestions for what type of contractor would be able to find out more? I'm stumped as to where to start.
As for recording, the noise isn't that loud, plus I plan to wall off the drain, it would be in the same room as the heater nad washer/dryer.
Try this company http://yellowpages.superpages.com/profi ... ~lbp_1.htm RodAny suggestions for what type of contractor would be able to find out more?
I'm not quite clear on how the water that's running through the stone under your basement slab is getting into the sewer line. That's a sealed pipe and there should be no way for the water to enter it to run away - unless there's a drain tile system that is connected to the sewer. Regardless, there are a number of ways you could control the water - which is best depends on your exact situation. Obviously, one approach would be to excavate around the perimeter of the house, install drainage tile and run that either to grade (if you have sufficient slope) or to a sump that is emptied by a sump pump. This is a pretty intrusive and expensive approach, mind you. There are also systems where the contractor will break out a narrow section of slab adjacent to the exterior walls from the inside of the basement. This area is hand excavated and drainage tile installed. Once again, it has to run somewhere - either to a sewer line (if your local code / bylaws allow) or to a sump where it is pumped away. I've found this approach to cost about half of an exterior excavation / waterproofing. It's difficult to come up with an actual solution without knowing for sure what's happening under your slab. Sounds like a very high ground water table around your house.I only know in a general sense whats under the floor. The drain goes out to the sewer line, so it is tied in with the rest of the house's plumbing. According to a contractor who did work there is stone under the concrete, through which water flows. Any suggestions for what type of contractor would be able to find out more? I'm stumped as to where to start..