An interior French drain is not technically basement waterproofing because the water is being controlled once it enters the foundation instead of being prevented from entering it. The interior French Drain is a widely accepted technique in mitigating basement water and is generally referred to as a basement waterproofing solution. Interior French drain systems are recognized by B.O.C.A (Building Officials and Code Administrators) as being effective in controlling basement water.
French Drain Basement Waterproofing is not the only solution available. The name of our company is A-1 Basement Solutions and there is more than one solution that we offer.
If your house has solid concrete walls the water can only enter in a few different ways. In poured concrete foundations, cracks and pipe penetrations are the most common entry points for seepage. These openings can be readily sealed from the interior. Epoxies or urethanes are pressure injected into the openings, penetrating the foundation through to the exterior, thereby cutting of the path of the seepage. These repairs will last for a long time.
The exterior method of waterproofing involves excavating the outside of your house to re-apply a seal to the foundation. If your house was built prior to 1990 the coating applied to the foundation was a tar based substance that degrades over time leaving the foundation non-sealed. Today there are polymer based foundation sealers available that do not degrade and last for the lifetime of the building. Exterior waterproofing prevents water from entering foundation walls therefore preventing the wicking and molding of building materials. Waterproofing a structure from the exterior is the only method the IBC (International Building Code) recognizes as adequate to prevent structural damage caused by water intrusion.
Some people ask about basement waterproofing paint. There is no such thing as basement waterproofing paint. No paint can stop water from coming in. Basement sealing from the inside works well where condensation and dampness is the main concern. However actual water leaks can’t usually be handled by inside coatings.
If your house has hollow block masonry walls, an interior French Drain system can capture the water entering the block system and drain the water into a sump where a sump pump will discharge it from the building. Weep holes are drilled into the lowest course of block, allowing the drainage to occur. An interior French drain is much less likely to clog than an exterior, partially due to the fact that it is not sitting underneath several feet of soil.
The system is maintenance free once installed. This system will provide a dry and moisture free basement for years to come.
Your French Drain basement waterproofing system should be prepared to work in the case of a power outage or the failure of a sump pump. We install a water powered emergency sump pump which works off your municipal water pressure in the event of a power outage.