Interior Drainage System for DIY Basement Waterproofing

Interior Drainage System for DIY Basement Waterproofing
This video shows the process of installing an interior drainage system in a basement. The materials cost was about $1100 and 60-80 hrs of work. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Here is the link to the product I used:
basementwaterproof.com/
Good Luck!

[@tomadams7230]

Actually built one for a friend from galvanized steel stud track. Wiped it down with mineral spirits and put a double coat of truck bed liner coating (Rust-Oleum) on each section and let it dry before installing. Seemed to make the urethane caulk adhere much better. Used a diamond surface grinder head to clean floors prior also. Simply drilled ⅜ holes in block wall where the block cells are located about a ¼ inch up from floor. Attached the track with tapcons to wall. Removed track and reinstalled with continuous bead of urethane caulk on floor where bottom of track met. Installed sump pump at end. Caped opposite end. Been there almost 3 years now with no issues. And his basement used to flood really bad. Even up through floor. Guessing that was from hydraulic pressure built up thats now relieved through ⅜ drain holes. Entire project was about $800 in materials for a little over 140 linear foot.

[@beargoodfruit1726]

Sounds like a great project. Different materials, but a very similar concept. Glad to hear it is working out well.

[@mitchdurfee2734]

80 hours worth of work... that’s 5 grand right there... honestly I’m so grateful for this video thank you!

[@roberttaskerjr]

Awesome video. Whoever did our basement previous used drip edge for the channel and it's coming loose. Needless to say we ended up with a lot of water I our basement yesterday.

[@michaelwhite6110]

Outstanding job on the video. Thanks

[@kevinb5050]

Thanks I like this, What about a clay tile wall tho. My house is old can you still drill the holes ?

[@tcconstruction8751]

Amazing work you guys keep it up

[@ashleythomas1345]

So my house was built in 1970ish. I bought the house 2 years ago and it had a dewatering system already there. During inspection the basement was pretty dry. For some reason during inspection they made a mistake and placed a new system in due to mis communication. My basement also was carpeted so when Installing the new system they pulled the carpet up. Well since I’ve been here my basement has not gotten wet. I’m not sure how long the first system was there but I imagine for some time. If im in the basement when it rain I have a drain and I can see the water run in the drain. So far so good. But I do worry how long it will last.

[@indyfufu]

Can you tell me what did you do to install the sump pump? I have a basement similar to the one in this video with less water issues, and I think this is the perfect system to use so I can finish the basement.

[@ckohl9760]

I had a water problem in my basement. Never knew of these systems. I decided to just jack hammer all along the wall beside the footer and lay a French drain . Did it all by myself and it was a ton of work. Jack hammer and haul away the concrete and then dig a trench and remove dirt. Lay pipe down, fill with gravel. Then do the sump pump and re concrete it all back. First time doing it as well. It worked though.

[@charlesandrewpaul]

I will be EXTREMELY interested to see how well this system works. I have the same older poured concrete system, with only a couple of leak points that cause water issues in my wet basement. I have considered several $7-$10,000 dry basement systems, but my ceiling is low and I do not think it worth the trouble for a nearly unusable space anyway...

[@beargoodfruit1726]

+Charles Paul Hi Charles, We have gone through some very rainy periods since installing the system and no problems yet. I have a crack in the floor in one area and we do get some moisture that comes up through that crack (it looks wet, but haven't seen standing water there yet). I plan on doing some light grinding to open up the surface of the crack and then applying the same epoxy to the crack to seal it (I read that this works well). However, we haven't had any water on the floor from the perimeter since installing the system. It has been working really well for us.

[@beargoodfruit1726]

+Bear Good Fruit Another update - I have sold the house, but got a call from the new owners not too long ago. There had been massive storms and significant flooding in the area, but the system was working very well. The husband of the family called me and let me know that water was flowing continually through the drainage system during the flooding event, but nothing was leaking through. I was very happy to hear it was working out. I just wanted to provide the update for anyone that is interested. Good luck all!

[@deanrodriguez3052]

What about hydrostatic pressure? Water will eventually come right underneath as well.

[@JWolfsVids]

I moved into a house with this system (or very similar) in it that has been here for at least 20 years based on talking with the previous owners and it still keeps my basement dry with carpeting down. When I moved in though, there was a hydro static pressure issue that was causing the carpet to get wet in the middle of the room during heavy rain as the water pushed up through the center of the floor but I solved that issue by cutting a 1/4" wide x 1.5" deep irrigation channel using a concrete saw from the point at which the water was coming through straight to the sump pump hole, laying down a strip of plastic over it and then laid the carpet back down directly over that. I've had zero water in the basement since. Mind you the carpet is just laying on the floor like carpet tiles, not stretched or glued.

[@poopywelder]

@@beargoodfruit1726 that means water is coming in from the footing…the drain needs to be at the bottom of the footing for a dry basement…I had to rip out a shit job at my house I just bought…nothing but black mold behind the cheap system

[@michaelcherry2738]

thanks very informative especially the economics

[@Joshua79C]

Most company quotes include cost for laborers including insurance, as well as the equipment they use making the job go easier and faster and any other costs such as fuel for a generator to power certain hydraulic equipment using an portable hydraulic gas or diesel powerpack and the cost for the stuff you showed and used such as the drainage and sump and well bin. And for a more proper water drain system for a basement made of cmu or concrete masonry units with their failure prone aspects such as water and if not reinforced with rebar and fill in certain points to prevent ground pressure related failures. As a Former experienced waterpoofing pro this system imo has a few failure prone points, one being not sufficient drainage for larger amounts of water inflow and the silicone or other sealant for the outer edge, I have looked at the design of both this and level 1 DUY system and both allow for acces to check for and clear any blockages. The best system is if there is more severe water intrusion would be to dig out the outside of the wall where most water intrusion occurs and check for cracks if no membrane or dimple drain was applied at time of construction, Then clean and apply crack filler epoxy, then a peel and stick membrane and if your property has water retention then add a gravel pit along the wall in the area and also dimple board over the membrane to allow water to flow down along the outside of said wall to collect into the gravel drain, But still have a channel drain inside as such to allow for any water than does get inside to be collected and removed conveniently. Exposed concrete is like a sponge, it will suck up water like a sandbag wall and retain it until it evaporates either into the home or seep back into the soil. Thus why these days it is recommended in new construction or reconstruction to add a gravel and cloth covered perforated pipe to collect and remove saturated or excess water and as mentioned membrane outside the wall with dimple 'board' to allow proper water drainage along the outside. For the interior you want to ad a channel system that gets embedded into the concrete floor along with foam board for insulation and a moisture barrier below the insulation to protects it and to keep ground water from getting siphoned up by the concrete. The reason for a channel (preferably one you can open up for inspection and cleaning as necessary) along the wall with sump well and pump is to allow interior moisture build up or the likelihood that goodness forbid the water pipe or worse yet the sewage/sewer pipe was to fail and leak then the passive floor drainage will allow the water at least a place to drain away, as for waste that will cause blockage of the channel and cleaning of it as well. Another benefit is in the rare event of a flash or other natural flood water that gets into the basement to be collected and removed, there is three ways to dispose of the water one is the leech field on the property, another is connected to flow out into the sewer system (Not the septic system!) or a pond or river if one is nearby s long as it is mostly clean water, lastly the storm drains are also another outflow option if the town or city or district allows/permits. If you live in a constant enough flood zone or plain, you are better off getting the house raised and placed on pilings/stilts, which is a more costly option and not a very DIY friendly or easy nor low cost choice, and would negate or remove the below grade basement option. IMO I prefer the ICF foundation, its easy enough like a pour in place formwork but without the added time and cost for formwork installation and removal along with the 'rental' of said formwork added cost while it is being utilized. Seeing as the insulating form both acts as the formwork and once concrete was poured and set after a few days the rest of the work can continue and only need to apply a stick and peel membrane of choice and even a dimple board drain as well for better waterflow along with airflow for radon prevention where as with exposed concrete would require added time to insulate as desired on the inside, With either monolithic type wall basement you would want to still do all said exterior and interior drainage systems for redundancy but as for ICF on the inside, I would use a new form to have exposed interior for craxk inspection but the outside would be thick 4 inch insulation which would be more than enough insulation and still finish either leaving the wood used for the form in pace and applying drywall/plasterboard over for paint or wallpaper finish if not some other fancy wall covering.

[@Joshua79C]

Most work we did was only a week worth, some jobs took slightly longer but not more than two due to weather, supply chain or other unexpected issues, often times working a full 8 hours on Saturday to prep the next job to make the Monday easier to get started or to finish up a job that we did not start the prior Saturday. Sundays were time off but were on call for emergency calls, much like any other off hour time was on call for emergency calls from a new client who chose to call us.

[@nick540]

Great job! My basement is flooding as we speak so I might try this

[@howboutthat6840]

what the do you do for water under the floor??

[@ThePlumber4511]

I just got an estimate from Ohio State Waterproofing for $20,000. My house is only 1200sq ft, built in 1930. I have 2 walls bowing in. I was told I have to replace the walls for an additional $15,000. I was blown away. I might do what you did here. Alot of good comments here positive and negative.

[@TrueDetective007]

Did you finish the project? I am in similar situation got a quote for 20k in Michigan. Thinking of DIY

[@tom-yo4es]

@@TrueDetective007 On the bowed walls, you can put C channel every 3' or so against the wall with galvanized or stainless threaded rod going out into the soil about 6' from the house into a hole with a plate. Use the threaded rod to tighten the inside plate against the wall during dry weather (after at least 3 days no rain or snow on the ground) If you over tighten, or if you tighten while the dirt is wet, you will simply move the outside plate toward the house. It may take years to fully straighten your wall, but this is the safest and least expensive way.

[@ndimageryanddownoutproduct1071]

Yep same here. Water coming in around the footing on a 1997 house and has already installed a French drain outside and it still leaks. 20,000 dollar estimate. It is a joke. No way it is worth that.

[@williamvankleijr3839]

Potential issue could arise if mud was coming through your wall before system was put in place. It's likely that more mud will enter again through the weep wholes you drilled. You maybe should add a waterproofing membrane outside to prevent mud from entering. More then likely you should have went with an under the floor system because filter fabric could of been used to prevent mud from clogging system. OTHER WHISE you did a great job.

[@beargoodfruit1726]

The track can be opened from the top, so you could flush any mud out every few years, etc. Addressing the outside of the wall would be ideal, but ensuring the drainage is working properly outside (gutters, etc.) addressed 98% or our issue and this system ensures we don't have water on the floor during extreme events. This solution is massively less expensive than digging and resealing around the entire house. We sold the house since, but have been told that it has held up very nicely. They needed to touch up the epoxy in one spot, otherwise it has worked as intended. Thanks!

[@robertquintel8706]

The weep holes shouldn't be trough both sides of the block, it should just be drilled through the inside part of the block...That way no dirt will enter the block ..

[@CoyoteFugly]

How does this system handle a change in height (step up). I have a room in my basement that is 8 inches elevated from the main area? Thanks

[@akhaqan]

Excellent video, I am in the process of evaluating all options for a similar problem in my basement in Virginia. All quotes for interior drain are $5-6k and exterior drain are $11-15k. This seems like a very good option at an amazingly low cost. Would you be able to provide any feedback on how things are now with this system and if given a chance, would you do it all over again. Thanks

[@SwagSo7fly7]

I’m in Virginia also my quote was 16,000$ for 800 square feet smh

[@beargoodfruit1726]

Sorry about the extremely late response. We sold the house, but have been told the system has held up very well. One touchup was needed to the epoxy after a few years, but otherwise great.

[@lawrenceb.9694]

So as long as you have all the 3/8 holes drilled at the base of the walls (including the mortar joints)..that should relieve all the hydrostatic pressure and stop the efflorescence higher up on the walls correct?…I just have a couple spots that trickle water in at the base during heavy downpours of rain usually in the corners

[@omargvillacres]

Great video, is someone able to finish a basement with a french drain? If so, how do they put walls up?

[@RuralLifeAndFamily]

The website says yes and has a picture showing you how

[@greenspiraldragon]

This video is from 2015. How is the system holding up? any leakage or sealant failure? How about an up to date review of the system.

[@txelmore]

DYI is the way to go, that way if it has to be redone you have no one to blame it on but yourself.

[@beargoodfruit1726]

Lol, I agree. To the best of my knowledge the system is still working well, with one minor epoxy touchup.

[@thatjlyn]

so your basement was all one room? mine is two rooms. I'm wondering if I can go through the interior cylinder block wall. probably not but it would help. there's really no other way to get to the main floor drain from the front room. (no sump pump just a floor drain). maybe just a hole can go though the wall and I can put the baseboard on the other side? or I can fill the hole with some kind of tubing? we will see.

[@beargoodfruit1726]

+thatjlyn Yep, all one room. Do you have a solid slab under the interior block or does the block wall come up through the slab? (the first is called a monolithic floor, the second is more common (they pour the footing, build the block wall up, then pour the basement floor afterwards). If the block is on top of the floor, then I would probably just cut a small hole in the edge next to the outer wall. I would make it just large enough to continue the plastic drainage system through to the other side. It would be a little more complicated if block is coming up through the floor, since you wont have a clean floor surface to adhere to after cutting a hole through. Good luck and let me know if I can provide any additional information.

[@odetothetoad1]

How has this system held up over the years? I'm in need of something similar due to a monolithic slab, and am curious if water has found find it's way underneath that baseboard.

[@beargoodfruit1726]

I spoke to the current owner a little while ago. He said he had one minor leak in the 7ish years since I installed the system. He touched up the epoxy in that area and have been good ever since. He has been very happy with it. I don't think he finished the space. It has primarily been used to guide the water to the sump pit and minimize moisture in the basement, etc. I think you could finish the space, but I would want to use a glue-down plank vinyl flooring product and have reasonable access to the drainage system (through extra tall trim or otherwise). It should be doable.

[@hdom55654]

What Brand/type/kind of Epoxy is used to seal it to the floor?

[@CarlasCorner62]

How is the water proofing of the basement holding up after 8 yrs? Ths k you for making this video even if it was made yrs ago❤

[@beargoodfruit1726]

I sold the home, but talked to the new owner not too long ago and they said it was working well. They said they touched up the epoxy in one area once, but otherwise it has been great.

[@estpaul3132]

I'm always skeptical of DIY stuff for major issues like this. the idea seams good, but wouldnt residual water sitting in the chanel with no airflow start mold? also seems like if theres not enough built up water to flow, it would just sit in the bottom corner between the epoxy/plastic/foundation keeping it damp?

[@jamesattinger7753]

not a mono not a full block at floor so it can be broken easily

[@TerryPullen]

EstPaul - Not necessarily. Water can still dry to the cement block and to the floor, the drain only keeps it from running across the floor. Think of the concrete as if it were a sponge. Set a sponge on it's edge in a puddle of water and the water will wick up the sponge, the sponge then drys to the surrounding air. Water whether it is in the form of liquid or gas will always move from wet area to dry area if it can. - If this were my basement I would keep a fan running 24/7, paint the floor and walls and keep things like boxes or clothes off the floor. Because basements don't get much ventilation a fan helps circulate air and keeps the walls "dry-ish".

[@Joshua79C]

As a former and still experienced waterproofing specialist, cutting the floor to open up along the wall to install a buried channel would be better, along with installing gravel and pipe drainage for underside excess water aspect all draining to the sump well for pup out to outside or sewer system/storm drain expelling tie in methods. I had looked the product info on the website, its designed to pop open easily enough to inspect the inside of this enclosed system aka level 2 DIY is simple enough to check for cleanliness and proper drainage and remove any blockages is definitely a friendly feature, but I can see improper install such as sealant failures being the only major issues, you do want to leave a 1/8th or 3 mm gap between the drain face and wall for more proper drainage. But as with any plastic, it will degrade/deteriorate over time and will need maintenance of cracks or replacing of sections or the entire system, nothing is forever or non maintenance aka maintenance free.

[@dagster007]

I know that you have since sold the house, but could you approximate the humidity level in the basement before and after the installation of the drainage system?

[@kendash2000]

Wow, what a great question! Hope someone answers!

[@kareemelhawary7228]

Given that the sump hole is open, I'm guessing it won't change much at all.

[@richardmueller9565]

I see a question asked---What about the water that goes under the froor and coming up the cracks??? I think you Have to put a tile around inside at a lttle lower than bottom of the footins!!!!!!Putting tile around the outside low enough almost takes care of water issues. I think actually right under footing be the best!! AND even running plenty tile going to sump hole under the floor. And the block walls need to be core filled to top of wall not 2-3-4 down at ground level,, thats where they bow in!!!!!!!! rerodded 3/4 inch every 4 foot minimum..

[@fernandom2481]

almost 4 yrs later, how has it held up?

[@CertifiedJunkie]

3 years ago he sold the house. Haven't seen any other updates in the comments.

[@nicholasromanov7764]

Does it work?

[@jeffthewhiff]

Every spring, I get quite a bit of water that pools in my basement, especially behind my furnace and hot water heater, which are sitting on top of a 4" concrete slab I installed. My sump pump is located toward the center of my basement floor and does a pretty good job of removing the standing water, however, since the floor is lower near the furnace and hot water heater, it does not drain into the sump pump properly. I don't know if this product would work in my basement, but it was interesting to watch the video. If anyone has any suggestions about how I could eliminate the pooling water in my basement, I would appreciate it!

[@bartfox9187]

From what I gather, this doesnt work in any basement.

[@DWMtukwila]

Did you do anything about this yet? I have a low point in a corner and I was going to use some self leveling concrete to bring it up.

[@wrappinggirl3823]

Thank you for sharing your video. I do have a question. We have leaks on two sides of our basement. The foundation guy used hydraulic cement to fill the cracks. We still had problems. ...So he came back and added 3 what he called dry wells . All of the research we've seen shows them all outside of the basement...not inside? He used a jack hammer and dug a hole for each location. Then added a black piece of plastic material and slanted it toward the sump pump on both sides and the by the stairs.. Then cemented over it. iI this something you've heard of? And now our basement sewer drain is clogged with what appears to be mud.. So we now have to call a plumber. and at the bottom of our basement stairs. Not sure if it's a result of this ?

[@BarbaraForce0902]

The old-timey way of handling wet basements is with a french well, where someone jackhammers the perimeter of your basement leading to your sump pit, the lowest point of the trench. Every time I hear of someone putting plastic up, it ends badly. It sounds like you got screwed.

[@pito2531]

How is the system working since you have installed it I am having the same issue as you did and just wondering if you had any leaks out of the walls since you install it please advise thank you

[@gateway8833]

I wouldn't trust this. There is a great deal that this does not address.

[@Mcloven5044]

pito_ FSX_253 please don't do what he did !!

[@pito2531]

i didn't i hire a pro thank you

[@cooldog60]

@@gateway8833 Like what?

[@cooldog60]

@@Mcloven5044 I did!

[@jimmy1105ful]

It seems you would save more by drilling the holes and making an epoxy dam around the perimeter and creating a slope to the sump for ease of maintenance. In my basement all the seepage flows to the sump in the center of the floor.

[@jamesnichols8893]

Is there epoxy only on the bottom

[@76shogun1]

How do you achieve your pitch toward the sump? It's supposed to be 1/8 inch per foot??

[@RuralLifeAndFamily]

I was wondering the same. I think they let it drain by pressure. That of course will leave standing water which leaves dirt and Will eventually clog. Maybe they just replace it every ten years

[@kerry4951]

@@RuralLifeAndFamily I installed a similar type of system in part of my basement. If it would ever get clogged up (which I doubt it will) I will drill an access hole ( or several holes) high on one of the end runs and large enough that I can install a water hose and I figure I can flush out the channel into the sump pump basin. I figure if there is a will there is a way to address this issue. Just my thoughts..........

[@RuralLifeAndFamily]

@@kerry4951 I ended up buying and installing this system. It went in easily and s was me to work good. I got the version 2 where you can open the top and clean it out if there is an issue.

[@000Kasha]

Doesn't this kind of system need a pitch, so that gravity takes the water to the sump pump instead of the water just sitting there?

[@matthewmuller5794]

That's what I was kind of wondering.

[@vqman]

Exactly what I'm wondering

[@nawilliams82]

​@@vqman It's a pressure system. The channels are tall enough that the water will build up push itself through the channels to the drain. The downside to that is it will leave pools in the low spots after the bulk of it has drained off but it's better than nothing and much more affordable than digging down to the footings inside or outside to install tile. Quotes for that in my case were around $20k but I installed a system similar to this myself for less than $1200. As long as the lowest point of the channel is higher than the drain it will work. Between this and a dehumidifier my old formerly leaky basement stays bone dry.

[@vdosbycontactlenz1241]

My basement floor is not level all the way around the the edges. At some points, it slope in both directions. How do you ensure that the water is going toward the sump pump?

[@beargoodfruit1726]

Having a steady slope to the sump pump is ideal. The second best option would be to just ensure the system is sealed all the way. You will have some standing water at the lowest point until it evaporates, but it could be a lot better than your current situation (depending on your current situation). The system we installed only sees water infiltration during relatively extreme rain events. The vast majority of the water is routed to the sump pump and a small amount sits in the system until it evaporates. We have a dehumidifier to control the humidity. The dehumidifier does very well with this situation, but it wouldn't be able to keep up if all that water was spread across the basement floor, etc. I hope that helps. Good luck!

[@pos8415]

So the walls stay constantly wet....well thats going to be terrific for mould isnt it. This is a short term play....long term, dig out the other side and drain it properly. The rising water through the cinder blocks may also end up in the bottom plate & rotting out your walls.

[@ndimageryanddownoutproduct1071]

We have one of those systems and it failed in just a few years. Plus, its about 20,000 or more plus the destruction of anything around your house. They suck!

[@Noslack412]

So if water was coming from top of walls, this would be useless then?

[@rogerhensley45365]

Did this actually keep your basement dry?

[@pilbomags488]

it just channels the water towards the sump. Same amount of water comes in but is corralled around perimeter of basement.

[@bg147]

Did you have the wall anchors installed or was that done before you bought he house?

[@beargoodfruit1726]

+bg147 I had them installed soon after we bought the place. I noticed the bowing, but couldn't fix the drainage issues until I addressed some other troubles with the outside. The wall anchors came with a no movement guarantee that was transferable with ownership.

[@deanrodriguez3052]

Wall anchors are another terrible idea!

[@nathanboydston5163]

Dean Rodriguez how so?

[@yorkiepit]

@@nathanboydston5163 They are anchored in the soil which is what's pushing on, or it's using the outside of the wall for support, and the wall isn't structurally sound. There is a product called "gorilla wall braces" that a homeowner can install that will arrest wall movement, but the issue that was causing the collapse must be dealt with or else the wall will continue to deteriorate. If you are brave, rent a bobcat and excavate around the foundation, permanently seal the exterior and tighten the gorilla braces to push the wall to its original position. Since you excavated, you may want to install exterior drain tile and gravel to manage water before you backfill.

[@kokyaw]

Any update on how the system is holding up so far?

[@beargoodfruit1726]

Hi, I sold the home a year or so after this project, but I just checked in with the owner and they said it has held up very well. They said they had one leak since buying it 5ish years ago, but touched up the epoxy at the source and that solved the problem. Thanks!

[@danieljackson5758]

Do the drilled holes have to line up with the holes in the track?

[@beargoodfruit1726]

No, the drilled holes just allow any water in the block to drain more quickly into the system. The water will make its way in even if they don't line up. Other people have asked about the need to drill the holes in the first place. I think this just helps to relieve the build up and drain at the bottom. We were not getting a ton of water and only during relatively extreme events, but I could imagine a situation where you would have seepage higher up because there is water standing in the cavities. I would rather have it run out easily at the bottom.

[@TheFinalAppeal]

What would you do around objects like heaters, oil tank, and pipes?

[@brianczuhai8909]

Why did you redrill the holes? Couldn't you just install the system to deal with whatever trickle you were getting? That looks like a long run to the sump. What kind of slope could you have on the thing? You sure you don't have water in the drain channel somewhere? It looks like a good possible solution for me. My runs are short. Wet periods short and rare as well.

[@lt3096]

So, this doesn’t make sense to me. So water is just supposed to roll down a triangle when there’s no sloping that ensures it actually goes continually to a pad that will end up in the sump pump. Moreover, what happens to the wall as water is coming in that seems like a breeding ground for mold and bacteria. How do you clean behind this system?

[@beargoodfruit1726]

The system is not sloped, however, any accumulated water will flow to the sump pump until there is too little for it to flow. This remaining water will eventually evaporate until the next massive rain event. The top of the "triangle" opens for inspection and cleaning. I understand that this solution isn't ideal. Ideally, you would dig around the entire house to expose all the basement walls and install waterproofing materials from the outside. This would also be massively expensive. I installed this system 7-8 years ago at this point and sold the home since that time, but the homeowner said they have only experienced one leak. They fixed the leak by touching up the epoxy in that spot. For the cost and time involved, this system has worked very well. Thanks!

[@charlesdeutsch4483]

Do you have any further update? I was curious, I only have one problem corner/wall. Do you think I could just do the affected area and plumb it to the sump?

[@000Kasha]

I was thinking the same thing. Seem to have just one wall that leaks where it hits the cement floor. And it's the wall by the sump pump. Could I just do that wall?

[@RuralLifeAndFamily]

I have that situation. I had a pro water proofed come to my house and he said I only had to add drainage board to one wall.

[@keith_hudson]

This would be great if water was pouring from your walls. The issue is its coming from the foundation and the ground. Should have dug down to the foundation to install this.

[@tomadams7230]

Hydraulic pressure built up in walls can cause floors to weep.

[@rowanhodges3916]

what steps would you take to deal with mud buildup in this type of system? I just moved in to a home with this system but I have found mud blocking parts of the flow, which makes me think the blocks are all contributing to sediment accumulation (is there any way to clean the inside after installation?

[@BarbaraForce0902]

Depending on your soil content, maybe you need t put landscaper's fabric down to filter the silt? In exterior systems, I know people use landscaper's fabric in areas with high clay content.

[@RuralLifeAndFamily]

They have a level tune type System that you can open from the top now on their website. That’s for cleaning I assume.

[@asifsabri8669]

This is like bandaid so many things can go wrong mold and other issues if you exposing like this my recommendation is put lots of chlorine tablets in tubes also in your sump pump.

[@vqman]

You're already going to have mold with the basement being wet all over, at least the water is contained into a smaller space now

[@thomhendricks]

OMG that's my basement

[@brentrobinson9671]

Thom Hendricks how’s the system holding up

[@peregrineofficeinstallatio6022]

It just sits on top of floor? No cutting concrete?

[@beargoodfruit1726]

Yes, I cleaned the floor, but didn't cut anything. You use epoxy to fasten and seal the system to the concrete.

[@pepaw]

It’s been 4yrs. How you feel about it now? I would think it would need to be flat against the wall

[@timthetortoise]

It shouldn't be flat because the whole purpose is to have the water make it into the holes. If it's too tight against the wall it will not get past the top, and will eventually spill over. A gap allows any weeping above the system to make it into the system rather than build up.

[@yorlenyweigel8386]

How about if your basement is all rock

[@Joshua79C]

from my own experience installing professional systems, you will want to concrete or parge over the base of the stone wall to get a msooth and straight as possible and the top of the fill to be angled to allow water to flow down more freely into a channel drain leading to the sump well. That or if you can come up with enough to do so have the house lifted, the old walls demolished and removed and an ICF basement or monolithic bare concrete walls constructed and before backfilling have a membrane installed on the outside wall up to the grade or slightly above by as much as a foot with dimple board over it and a gravel drain inside an out along the walls. Do not go with CMU concrete masonry units, as convenient as they are, the cost is much more and they have serious issues as shown with water retention and other failings due to lateral ground pressure.

[@indman101]

What about Radon gas getting thru the holes you drilled?

[@nc3826]

What about wife cheating on you? It not a fix for all of your problem.....

[@ridgerunner956]

If you believe in radon is there a radon vent that goes all the way through the roof. Radon is like global warming someone is making a shit pot of money

[@nc3826]

"Radon is like global warming" conspiracy nuts are amusing... You mean like asbestos too I guess? it took decades but killed my dad...Shame some morons dont get how some things that are harmful take decades... And just rant how they are taking are freedoms from us lol...

[@bsmithril]

@@nc3826 Sorry to hear about the damage radon caused your family :(

[@nc3826]

@@bsmithrilthx but Ii was asbestos not radon in my family's case...Sorry for the confusion it caused you...

[@jdentente]

1. Never chip towards your body, especially when you can chip away. 2. Use the proper equipment, a cold chisel should be used with an appropriate hammer, not a claw hammer meant for driving nails.

[@nojokeauto]

Just ripped this exact system out of a house I just bought. This is a band-Aid system, Had an extreme amount of black mold accumulation everywhere.. water does not drain 100 % with this system..buyer beware when installing this system

[@Rinawati-cw1xd]

🤔

[@RobiPerk0125]

🤔

[@elpistola420]

Yea you should only use a baseboard system for a monolithic foundation. Other than that it’s not the right thing to do.

[@robertquintel8706]

I know 3 people who spent $15,000 to $20,000 for the b dry system and had it fail after 3 years. When they call up for the warranty they were told it only covers materials and 90% of the cost is labor .. I just installed this system in my basement and love it ..If installed correctly any standing water will run back out the weep holes that were drill into the blocks...

[@kragen05]

When you ripped it out, how did you seal everything up properly?

[@stevejones2128]

what about finished walls with sheetrock?

[@AndrewSchmitz]

Are you asking if you can finish over this? I also have this question.

[@MaverickandStuff]

If you are having this much problem with water in a basement, it would not be a good idea to finish it.

[@BarbaraForce0902]

The Beaver Basement site, where he purchased the system, has instructions for finishing over the system. Apparently the answer is "yes" but I have not seen anyone with a finish basement with this system

[@nathanboydston5163]

You can not save a finished basement and water proof it depoending on your foundation type if it is 3 piece or monolithic. If it's 3 piece you need a dub floor type system which I would suggest watergaurd. So you cut the bottom portion of wall and studs and jack hammer a 6-8 wide trench along the the wall and clear and put a plastic channel in with a 2 inch flange to go against the wall. (For wall seepage) then put rock between the channel and the floor where you broke it out make sure the channel is running down hill towards the pump. And concrete over it.

[@tobyblevins6095]

WRONG!!!! 3 holes in every block.. the joint of block needs a hole drilled in it to it also has pockets that hold water behind it....

[@johnboyd2800]

Well...two holes in each block and drill each joint. But...yeah.

[@xnuggetsalt5621]

How much was this

[@beargoodfruit1726]

~$1100 for the entire project.

[@andrewchampy5222]

You need an interior French drain system. That shit won’t for long

[@cooldog60]

I have had it installed in a house. It last a long time.,

[@andrewchampy5222]

Water will eventually eat through anything. I'm guessing he used this system because of the monolithic pour. There is no footing so jackhammering the perimeter might compromise the structural integrity.

[@andrewchampy5222]

But this system will eventually fail

[@wayneharper7036]

This is not even digging at the footing

[@ndimageryanddownoutproduct1071]

@@andrewchampy5222 All systems eventually fail. This one will fail at a smaller cost and even if it lasts 10 years you could install it again and again for less than the price of the French Drain systems that are going for 20,000 dollars or more.

[@shark3136]

This video should be filed under “comedy”.

[@nc3826]

just like ur life as troll... :)

[@TheDarthEmperor]

😆😆😄 No way this is gonna work! And the fact that its above the floor is laughable! It's not even sloped to the sump.

[@cooldog60]

You should be filed under dumbass.

[@yorkiepit]

Drilling weep holes into the hollow core sections of each concrete block isn't enough, because there is a third one at each joint between the blocks. Take two concrete blocks and place them end to end, you will notice that a third hollow core is created between the 2 blocks, smaller, but still holds a lot of water. Any system that doesn't also drill a weep hole into the mortar between the 2 block is not going to effectively drain the water out of the block. Once water gets into the hollow core of concrete block, it has nowhere to go and will stay there, you have to give it somewhere to go, or the wall will eventually fail. I've flipped over 500 houses in the last 17 years and have dealt with a lot of wet basement issues, I know how all of these systems work, though I am the investor, I teach my crews how to properly install them. Luckily, I've never encountered a house where the slab (the slab is typically not structural and is poured through a basement window when the home is weathertight). I imagine that at some point an owner of the home in the video dug out a crawl space to make it a basement and didn't add a proper footer. No matter what they do for this house, I think the only way to really fix it would be to excavate, add a proper footer, install a drain tile system, then pour a new floor and that is a big job. These days, with new construction that uses concrete block, the cores are filled with concrete which makes for a very strong wall that will not fill with water.

[@canadianhoser]

lol, 1100 ...

[@mitchdurfee2734]

You almost lost me at 6 min when you weren’t using a electric hammer/chisel 🔨

[@Superstarent]

Damn I give look like I will dishes out 6k 😞😧😦😦😢😢😢

[@evenflow3256]

Not!!!

[@davidfass5837]

That looks like a ton of work for a "hack" kind of solution. A "hack" should be easy. For a hack, I would go with the suggestion someone made in the comments... make a dam that runs parallel to the wall. Epoxy, or pond-and-stone foam, or hydraulic cement, not sure which would be best... just trap the water between the wall and your dam and let it flow to the sump pump. For a non-hack solution, if you are planning on finishing the basement, isn't French drain really the only way (inside or outside)?

[@Jabcross1234]

Not a good system there is little to no pitch where is that water going???stuck behind that plastic

[@georgepauls9321]

This is a joke! Your floor is still going to get wet never mind the on going mould build up. Don’t do this!

[@johnthomson8332]

In some basements you have no choice because the water runs down the surface of the verticle brick wall like my basement.

[@davidfass5837]

@@johnthomson8332 French drain is the choice. That will catch anything and everything, and seems much more reliable than what he's doing in video.

[@davidmfass]

@D. A. Soward For less than $1000, you can do a different half-baked solution: Chisel a groove parallel to wall, and overfill with hydraulic cement to create a little gutter that will direct the water to sump pit.

[@Lyka-clock]

@D. A. Soward We have this issue but are going to tackle the water from the outside. The water table puts pressure on the wall during heavy rains. A good drainage solution will give the water a path and stop the pressure from forcing the water into the walls. I wouldn't drill holes in the walls although I've heard people doing this to cut cost.

[@jeffpedals]

@@davidmfass this is what I'm contemplating doing..only with a concrete saw. Just trying to figure out how I will gradually & evenly deepen the depth of the cut over the some 100 ft distance to the sump..as well as getting the corner cuts right. It will still be a lot of work because I have a few existing walls & built in shelving I'll need to get past/under.

[@TheWannaramble]

why didn't you just film while the installation was in progress instead of trying to explain how it was done afterward? Maybe you didn't have an additional person to do that for you...

[@beargoodfruit1726]

Yes, that would have been better. That was one of my first couple videos from quite a few years ago. Recording it was a bit of an afterthought, but I like to share some of the less common projects. I am trying to do better each time.

[@designstudio8013]

The only solution is to remove the dirt around the walls and install a retaining wall.

[@BrianSchweihs]

This guy has no idea what he is talking about. If the interior drain tile is installed properly, you drill weep holes at the bottom of the wall, below the floor, to drain the concrete block walls. The block walls are hollow. As long as there are weep holes drilled at the bottom, they will not fill up and create anymore issues with the appearance or integrity of the walls. The only way to waterproof a concrete block wall is to install the drain tile on the inside or outside of the home. Inside is much easier so you don't have to dig up everything around the exterior of your home.

[@Rick-tb4so]

There is only one way to waterproof your basement/remove water and this system isn't it..

[@andrewchampy5222]

This is the lazy fix

[@pilbomags488]

"ACROSS" NOT ACROSSED

[@MickMacPaddyWhack81]

Do not use this system....it will not last. I’m tired of ripping these out when they give way and fixing it properly.

[@BarbaraForce0902]

What do you use?

[@cooleyisawesome]

What do you use for a monolithic slab?

[@RuralLifeAndFamily]

They add an above ground drain that is low profile. Then they pour another floor on top of that. That’s about $12000. If you have a low basement and you can add 4 to 6 inches to the floor height then this is your only option. Of course you could hire someone for about $25,000 to backhoe up your yard and reseal all the walls.

[@popps2502]

You gott to be kidding.

[@Mcloven5044]

Please don't tell me you actually did this, gotta be the dumbest way to fix a water problem. Crack the floor all around , put your 4" pipe in and not the flex shit other companies use to scam customers. Cover the pipe with 3/4 rock and leave room for concrete and mirror drain. It will cost a little more, but it will sure as hell work better and last wayyyyyyyyyyyyy longer. Oh and drill you holes bigger and get rid of that cheap Home Depot pump. Good luck

[@phantom12321800]

What's the cost on something like that? I moved into a home that has the system he installed. Water hasn't been a big problem since I did some gutter issue resolution, but I would consider something more robust so I can finish the basment down the road.

[@mikeshine7608]

phantom12321800 you could do Thursday under $1000 its alot of labor. Find someone with a block saw or rent one pref electric to avoid carbon monoxide, and cut a trench around your basement. Look for pipes first before you cut. Jack hammer everything out. Trench with a trench shovel as deep as you can. And lay perforated pvc (holes down) wrapped in landsape fabric in a layer of drainage stone. Pitch everything towards your sump basin (leave a clean out at opposite end) and recemt it all back. Not expensive at all just allot out labor. I was quoted almost 10k for this and i could do it for way less.

[@phantom12321800]

Mike, thanks for the tips. Shortly after I moved in I found there were both huge gaps between the walk and foundation, as well as gutter spilling due to years of inattention. SInce then I've had some major deluges without even a hint of moisture. If I have anything coming through in the future I will seriously consider that.

[@Mcloven5044]

phantom12321800 The only thing i agree with Mike on is the cost being around 1K and a lot of labor. DON’T use a block saw- 1 it’ll take very long to cut your floor and you also have to rent a jack, so the saw would be an unnecessary cost. 2 your basement will be completely covered in dust from the saw. Also if you add new cement along the old floor it will not bond well and might crack in the future. As a professional opinion i would just use the jack hammer to cut the floor as that is what we do at work. Step 2- buy yourself a small shovel at home-depot, it’s only 22’’ tall and the metal mouth is about 6'' tall i think; cost is about $15, at least over here in south jersey. DON’T go as deep as you can lol ! it will cause more work and MORE problems. You want to dig down between 6-9’’ depending on how thick you want to pour your cement. The deeper you dig the higher chance you have of undermining, meaning that all sand or dirt could get washed out from under your footing causing your wall to crack. I would crack the floor in one spot and see if you even have a footing deep enough, if so then you’re in good shape and if not your kinda screwed and that will cost you more labor and money. Step 3- buy 4” perforated pipe and we don’t use the landscaping fabric due to it taking a while to do, but we use the tube fabric and it actually fits right on the pipe, the role comes in a 100ft role and you can cut it into 10ft slicked and it slides right on the pipe. I forgot whats its called, but we get it at a place called Ferguson. Home-depot has it too, but its not such a tight fit. step 4- do pitch everything down to your basin and like Mike said; make yourself a clean out. Dig your basin out and drill small holes in it with the two 4” holes for your pipes to come in. And drill 2 holes in each block if you have block. Step 5- buy the 3/4 clean rock and disperse in onto your pipes and around the basin. When putting the rock on the pipes remember to leave room for the amount of cement you want to put down and room for the mirro drain. Miro drain you have to put incase case wanter runs down the wall. That you can’t buy at home depot and if you go to a place that sells it you’ll have to buy the whole role and thats 100ft. IF you do decide to go that way then cut the mirro 10 nipples high along the whole role and then bend it in half. That will allow you to have some in the pit and some on the wall. Thats how we do it on every job. And put that after the rock. Step 6- cement everything up and make sure your basin is just a tinny bit lower than the floor. If you ever have water on your floor it will either make its way down to the basin or you can just push it in easier. And when setting up your pump use 1 1/2’’ pipe for your discharge line, don’t use that black flex pipe. Hope this helps, this is how we do it at work and it works well. Only service calls we get are ones for a replacement pump under warranty and to flush the system. I just this weekend did one part of my basement which was about 95ft and i grabbed one of the guys from work and the total project ran me about $640 for everything and labor, but i used company equipment and the company dump truck, So your expenses will be a little bit more. Good luck! I would do it the way i explained as it will last longer and its easier to maintain.

[@InterstateGamer]

Thanks for the info.

[@nopretend9684]

Please Delete this. You are giving people the wrong idea. Thank you.

[@Joshua79C]

The only thing wrong with this system is the surface mounting and sealant failure issues. it has a zip closure top to allow for easy inspection of any blockage and cleaning as required or desired per the website, IMO this is a convenient and easy enough DIY kit that does not require any concrete cutting to make a inset channel for a buried type drainage channel system. I used to install embedded channel systems when the company I worked for was in business until the owner moved on and I as well to get into other industry I am into.

[@cooldog60]

You are a dumb ass.

[@cooldog60]

@@nc3826 He is jealous because he is a dumb ass who knows nothing.

[@RuralLifeAndFamily]

In some cases this is a good fix.

[@mikeez5455]

Won't work

[@josejimenez9043]

No good you will damage the integrity of the block wall by drilling those holes!!!

[@maddydog]

This system is garbage, spend the extra money get the professionals to come do it the right way jack hammer the entire exterior walls drill the weep holes install the drainage round plastic pipes into the proper size dug out ditch imstall the rocks on top for proper drainage cover up with good quality concrete, they guarantee this method for life

[@MK-ze8xu]

Completely wrong. You’ll be back to fix it. That’s the worst system to use. You have to stop the water from coming in

[@vqman]

With unlimited funds that can be possible. I have a wet wall with 3ft of land before my neighbors yards starts, so i would have to dig by hand an 80ft long trench, that's 3 ft wide and 8 ft deep. Not always possible to fix it from the outside.

[@MK-ze8xu]

@@vqman unlimited funds no. Depending on how proper you are willing to do the job it could be done yourself for a few thousand. But this system will fail and lead to other problems. This system turns your walls into a plumbing system for the water to pass through but being the system sits on top of the floor the water will never fully drain from the block leading to mold and eventually erosion of the the brick. It’s best to just do it right, do it once and be done with it

[@ndimageryanddownoutproduct1071]

@@MK-ze8xu The problem is for most people this is not possible. For me it would mean shutting off the electric to the house, ripping out a 40ft by 20ft deck in the back yard, plus the labor and anything else that comes along with it. My latest quote was 20,000 dollars and that doesn't include ripping out and rebuilding the entire deck.

[@mikeschiavone7336]

This is the most mickey mouse system out there. This does not work.

[@MrBill99]

Poor system. Tile should go to the bottom of the footer.

[@mikeschiavone7336]

80 hrs of wasted time