Eaves of Destruction

Gutters and eaves are designed so that water will be accepted from the roof and diverted to areas where it will run off away from the home. This prevents excess moisture from getting into the basement and causing damage to walls and flooring there. However, in order to work well the system must be free and clear of debris.

If you look at some older homes the gutter system is so clogged that there is actually grass growing from them. What happens here is that water will back up under the roof shingles and also down on the fascia and rot out the rafter ends.

The spring is usually the best time to clear the gutter system. The best way to do this is to get up the roof (Make sure you have a safety harness) and clean the gutters with a plastic scoop. Unless you have seamless gutters the best course of action is the plastic scoop because a hand-held garden spade might damage the seams and cause leaks. Make sure you clean out the downspouts to as they might have material clogging them.

For less maintenance you might look at putting screens over the gutter troughs. There are two main types: Flexible plastic and rigid metal. The plastic goes on easily and pretty cheap but the metal lasts longer. This is especially important if there are large deciduous trees around

Basement Walls

Basement walls are the foundations for the home and it’s surprising that, for all its strength, concrete is a very porous material. In fact it acts like sponge and this is in context with the moisture contained in the ground. If the ground is very wet then the basement will have moisture and vice versa.

1) Gutters: The first consideration when dealing with a wet basement is to check the drainage around the home and this begins with the gutter system. Make sure that the water is being diverted away from the home.

2) Drainage: Next, check to see if the natural drainage is away from the home. If not you may have to dig around the home and put in a 4″ drainage pipe.

3) Ventilation: It is important to have an airflow in all parts of the home but especially the basement. Many heat recovery systems include a dehumidifier and this helps keep the basement dry.

4) Concrete Sealer: This is a compound injected into cracks to seal off them off permanently.

Insulation

1) Fiberglass Batt: The cheapest way to finish basement walls is with a 2 X 4 stud frame and fiberglass batt insulation. Some contractors prefer to vapor seal against the cement wall to prevent any moisture from soaking the batt.

2) Rigid Foam: This is glued to the wall and is available with slots form wood strapping. The drywall is then attached to the strapping. Foam is not affected by moisture but mold can get in behind it of the wall is not sealed properly.

3) Spray Foam: The foam is sprayed on between the studs and it expands into all pores and crevices effectively sealing the wall. The r-value is great and this effectively stops any water from entering the basement.

These are good steps to consider before trying to finish off a basement wall for a living space.

Gutters and Drainage – Keys to Ending Wet Basements

Most of us have seen the dark water stains on a cement basement wall or the puddle on the basement floor and wondered how the water got there. Well, besides being strong and a solid foundation cement is very porous and water can seep through. This is why most new homes are tarred or wrapped with a waterproof membrane to prevent this. However, unless the floor pad has vapor seal underneath water can still up though the seams between the surface and the wall.

Gutters: One of the best ways to prevent a humid basement is to stop the water before it gets against the foundation. This begins at roof level with gutters which can accept the amount of water draining off the roof. A small amount of rain on a large roof can produce dozens of gallons of water in a short time so its best to have a gutter system that can handle this.

Downspout: Another important part of the system is the downspout. As the name implies downspouts take the water from the gutter to ground level. However, if the gutter is overflowing there is a good possibility that there are not enough downspouts to carry this away. Adding one more in a critical spot will enhance the drainage.

Drainage: When the water gets down to ground level it needs to be immediately directed away from the foundation. If the home is on a hill this is easy because the water will run away but if it is not then you have to make a path. Digging a 2′ X 2′ corridor around the foundation and putting in a 4″ perforated pipe will do a lot to take the water away. The downspouts can go directly into this pipe and the exit for this trench should be angled downward slightly to give the water an easy path away. Then the trench should be then filled with 1″ gravel or crushed rock.

This gets the water away from the foundation rather than sitting and allowed to seep. But you have to have good gutters to get the water where you want it before you can direct it away..