Why is my basement leaking?

In this video Chris helps a customer in Langford, BC by addressing the most frequently asked question by homeowners with wet basement problems: why do basements leak?

It all boils down to the lack or improper installation of foundation drainage.  “The age of the home is very important” explains Chris. 

Most homes in the Victoria and lower Vancouver Island area, built before the 1950’s have no footing drainage at all. Homes built in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s have what is called a French drain or weeping tile: a line of generic, perforated PVC or corrugated pipe buried in a bed of gravel by the foundation footing. Its job is to collect ground water from the soil around the basement walls, and divert it away from the house, usually with the help of a sump pump.

The problem with this type of footing drain is that it tends to clog over time with silt and mud. If the pipe itself is not clogged, the gravel around it is, preventing water from getting into the pipe.

The system installed by Chris and his team at Island Basement Systems is a superior alternative to conventional French drains because it is installed along the internal perimeter of the basement, and on top of the foundation footing, away from the mud zone where it could be clogged. Installed at the top of the footing, it intercepts water in its most frequent entry point: the joint between walls and floor. It captures water from underneath the slab so the basement floor stays dry.