Home Improvement Blog

5 main drainage components to protect your home and property in Orange County, NY

Posted by william bateman on Wed, Dec 07, 2022 @ 12:07 PM

We are here today to go over your home and property drainage components. Most of us with homes have experienced some kind of water issues whether it may be a roof, leaky faucet or toilet, water heater, roof, etc..... but wanna focus on basements and outside ground water that can potentially infiltrate your home and cause immense damage to your homes structures and valuables you may have inside. Water damage is responsible for billions of dollars a year in damages that can cause a great number of issues not only to your homes structure but can potentially create hazardous environments that affect your health. May seem extreme but most of the time, especially if your basement is finished, you cannot tell you have water damage until the damage has been done. Another factor is if your basement is fully underground surrounded by saturated soils you may have a higher risk of water and/or water permeation.

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Damage like this is quite common in basements with insufficient drainage. In a finished basement the damage would be hidden behind your walls creating mold and mildew not only to the foundation walls but your sheetrock, insulation and wall studs. Cement and cinder block foundations are the most susceptible due to their porous nature as poured foundations are far less porous not allowing water to permeate as easily. Evidence of water damage on the walls is more likely associated with runoff water that saturates the soil and infiltrates through walls due to failing exterior foundation coating. Evidence of water and/or moisture in the corners of foundation walls where meets concrete floor is evident your footing drains have failed and ground water has created hydrostatic pressure from rising water tables. Footing drains are your homes main drainage component to remove water from your footings and foundation walls. Failing footing drains largely increases the risk of water infiltration and structural damage to your foundations integrity due to water pressure buildup. Damaging water can reach as high as 33,000 psi causing great strain.

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As water tables rise from the ground combined with water runoff the force of pressure can be crucifying to your foundations structure resulting in complete failure requiring replacement which can be very costly. Block and cinder block walls are more susceptible to failure and have less integrity than a poured foundation but both run the risk of damage. Common components can help relieve your water issues and when used in conjunction can greater lower your risks.

5 Key drainage components to protect your home and property:

  • Footing drains
  • Curtain drains
  • Sump pump
  • Extending downspouts away from home preferably underground if possible
  • Create a swale to catch runoff on your property 

You may not need all components considering your properties grades and depending on the perc of your grounds soil. First you will have to indicate where the source of water and/or moisture is coming from. Once indication is made then you can come up with a solution. Like noted previously, finished basements may be harder to spot where water and/or moisture has infiltrated as its hidden behind walls and/or flooring.

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7 signs to look for in a potentially wet/moist basement:

  • Wet or moist walls
  • Water or moisture in corner of foundation walls where meets concrete floor
  • Water pooling and collecting outside of foundation from gutter downspouts 
  • Any basement window wells that may not drain properly during heavy rains
  • Musky smell in basement
  • Wet or damn carpet and/or warping wood/composite floors
  • Pooling water and/or grade of property sloping towards home
  • Visible water and/or moisture in any cracks of foundation walls or floors

Sump pumps can be a great drainage application to relieve ground water from hydrostatic pressure under the concrete slab of your basement floor. These are installed by cutting open concrete floor preferably at the lowest point of basements floor and installing a permeable catch basin with sump pump that drains to the exterior of your home. As water tables rise water will most likely go to the point of least resistance into the basin and removed outside quickly. Also to keep in mind when installing they run off electric and many times when needed the most during inclement weather electric goes out leaving pump useless. A battery backup is recommended in to avoid a foreseeable issue.

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When its comes to your property itself you must determine if you have water issues surrounding your home. Low spots and wet marshy areas are a good indicator of water issues. Some may not effect your home at all beside just creating marshy wet areas but when drastic slopes cause runoff towards your home or low areas of water that pools near foundation these can be potential problems. Curtain drains are a great application for removing unwanted water on your property. Essentially curtain drains are in ground gutter systems that efficiently move water from one area of your property to another area away from the home. 

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Wet marshy areas around property can also be contained building a swale. A swale is essentially another gutter type system dug into the ground to catch water runoff. Usually installed when you have a grade coming off a hill and to divert water. This system does not use a pipe, just an angled hole for water to catch and divert. You can also install filter fabric and river rock to your swale.

After going over the few components of drainage the idea is to identify if you you have a water problem and if so then where. Once determining where, then you can come up with a solution to address the issue involved. Like noted all applications may not be for your home and property and must be assessed to see what application is needed. Footing drains on the other hand are on every home built and is a national code requirement. Water must be removed from foundation walls and foundation walls must be sealed from the exterior, Proper installation always requires an adequate amount of aggregate usually a 3/4" gravel around a 4" corrugated pipe in conjunction with filter fabric for a properly functioning footing drain system and maintain longevity to keep water flowing away from foundation for years to come.

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Topics: orange county ny, General Contractor, basements, construction-general--monroe, footing drain, drainage, egress windows, finished basement, excavation, foundation, bi-level

DIY Basement Egress Window Installation

Posted by william bateman on Tue, Dec 06, 2022 @ 09:21 AM

Egress windows are required by national code for any finished basement with a bedroom essentially installed as a fire escape window in the case of emergency. In any scenario tho finished or not an egress window is a good idea to install for safety plus the added light and ventilation is a plus for any basement. While installation may be hard work and not for everyone with a little background experience and proper tools the dog-it-yourselfer can tackle it.

Tools you will need for installation:

  • Backhoe or excavator (unless digging by hand)
  • Concrete saw
  • Jackhammer
  • Power saw
  • Level and square
  • Shovel and pick
  • Staple gun
  • Caulk gun
  • Shovel and rake

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When looking for placement of window usually try and go for a spot where there is usually a window already. This will make it less complicated to get through concrete wall and install. You can rent a concrete saw with a diamond blade and have saws too that can cut straight through eliminating a lot of the jackhammering involved. Getting through the wall is going to be the hardest part. 

 

5 things to know about egress window codes before starting:

  • Need a window at least 5.7 sq. ft.
  • Net clear of 20" when opened(I usually order window with larger net clear of 22")
  • No more than 44" inside sill height from basement floor
  • 9 sq. ft. minimum inside dimensions of window well installed
  • No more than 44" depth inside window well without a ladder installed



 

When ordering an egress window, most every application will work best by using a casement window. You will next have to determine the swing of the window left or right and do so by situating an emergency where you want the window to open clear to a safe place off property. Next is choosing a window well outside of your egress window. You can easily construct your own like in the video using 6x6 pressure treated lumber or Bilco offers a line of composite window wells you can install that also offer a cover to protect from the weather.

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7 things you should know about installing a window well:

  • Always dig deeper than window
  • You can use concrete from wall removed as a good base and drainage 
  • Fill base with 3/4" aggregate just below window
  • If you have area with proper slope to daylight consider installing a drain
  • Check local codes as some want drainage to tie in with footing drain(which I do not agree with mixing two different systems)
  • Try and maintain 44" inside depth or ladder will need to be installed. Prefab Bilco units have steps already built it
  • If cover is added make sure fastening clips are installed towards the from for easy escape if necessary 

5 benefits of adding an egress window:

  • Added safety during a time of emergency 
  • Added light to your basement
  • Added ventilation especially beneficial for moist basements
  • Help control humidity
  • Great access for getting materials and/or content into basement(obviously within limit)

Installing an egress window may not be exactly for the novice but a little background, the right equipment and strength it can be done. In the videos we used a regular diamond blade to cut and then jackhammer which has worked sufficiently for years but now have a saw that cuts straight through making it a bit easier. Hope this helps and wish anyone luck performing a DIY installation

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Topics: Monroe NY, orange county ny, General Contractor, Construction, basements, egress windows, excavation, fire escape, foundation

7 drainage systems to protect your home basement/property; Monroe, NY

Posted by william bateman on Mon, Dec 05, 2022 @ 05:53 PM

 

              WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR

               HOMES DRAINAGE SYSTEMS

Every home across the country have footing drain systems that are located outside the home at the base of your homes exterior footing. Rain, melting snow and rising groundwater all lead to more moisture being stored in the soils that surround your homes foundation which can lead to more moisture being stored in the soils. If your drainage system isn't working properly and failing you run the risk of costly foundation problems and extensive water damage. As groundwater rises the hydrostatic pressure increases putting great strain on your foundations integrity. Hydrostatic pressure is the force created by standing or resting water. It is the constant force that water exerts on your basements walls. While hydrostatic pressure can come from runoff down a hill, most of the time, it comes from saturated soil around your homes foundation. Hydrostatic pressure may also appear in cracks in your basements floor as water tables rise especially after a winter of heavy snows followed by spring rains. There are a few main components to a dry basement that can be used together in coordination to maintain water infiltration.

 

7 Main components used when creating a dry basement and property:

  • Footing drains around the entire perimeter of home
  • Curtain drains may be installed on property to alleviate water before the home
  • Sump pumps preferably at the lowest side of your basements floor
  • French drains cut inside your foundation wall where meets the floor and drains to a sump pump system
  • Swales created to catch water before reaching your home
  • Extension of gutter downspouts away from you home
  • Installation of a dry well for excess water

Water is the cause for billions of dollars of damage each year across the country and with a good working drainage system in place hopefully damage can be avoided. Hydrostatic pressure can build up to 33,000 psi which can put a tremendous amount of strain on your homes structure. Throughout the year inspecting your foundation for evidence of water is essential in determining where it may be coming from. With a finished basement this will be a lot less evident to see and moisture being absorbed by sheetrock, wood and insulation behind the wall creating a perfect environment for mold and mildew to grow rampant. Mold spores can be highly dangerous and create a toxic environment that can't be seen by the naked eye and cause many different health ailments.

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Things to look for when determining you may have water:

  • Musty smell
  • Damp or wet walls(mostly noticeable on concrete and cinder block walls)
  • Wet in corner where foundation wall meets floor(most always a sign of failing footing drains)
  • Water coming through cracks of concrete floor
  • White residue on block walls which could indicate mold spores growing or could just be efflorescence
  • Cracks in foundation walls

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 As noted before unseen water damage can created mold and mildew that grows rapidly that causes many different health ailments. These conditions usually go unseen and can cause a great deal of damage leaving your home unlivable and worthless without major mold remediation. Besides the potential structural damage to your foundation walls your quality of life could potentially be at stake.

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Health ailments due to mold/mildew:

  • insomnia 
  • memory loss
  • trouble concentrating and confusion
  • numbness in extremities 
  • respiratory problems
  • fatigue 
  • allergic reactions(wheezing, runny nose, watery eyes, etc.)
  • asthma attacks
  • bronchitis 

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This article wasn't made to scare you but to realize the importance of drainage around your home and the potential damages it can possibly cause mostly always unseen. A few different drainage systems working in coordination can hopefully eliminate the headaches. Once damage is done it can be very costly to reverse the damage water can do.

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Topics: orange county ny, construction-general--monroe, footing drain, excavating, monroe, egress windows, finished basement, excavation, backhoe, excavator, foundation

Bill Bateman egress window installation

Posted by Bill Bateman on Sun, Aug 21, 2016 @ 11:55 AM


                        If you are looking for an egress window contractor,

                                    you have come to the right spot!!!!!!!

 

          We know all the "in's and outs" when it comes to egress windows!!!!

 

                                                            845-590-5336

 

 

 


Working out of Monroe.NY for many years, Bill Bateman has performed hundreds of egress window installations over the years helping protect families from harm in the case of a house fire. National code requires all finished basements to have an egress window as a fire escape to protect your loved ones in time of need. Not only for safety reasons, egress windows add a lot more than that to your basement.

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Benefits of adding an Egress Window:

  • Peace in mind that your loved ones are protected
  • Added light
  • More ventilation
  • Double pane glass adds more insulation
  • Low E glass that protects from UV rays

 

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What are the building codes when installing an egress window?

  • Window must be minimum 5.7 sq. ft.
  • Window must have a minimum 22" net clear when open
  • Inside window sill height must not reach over 44" high
  • Window well must be minimum 9 sq. ft. inside measurements
  • Window well height must not exceed 44"
  • In the case inside/outside window height exceed 44", a ladder must be added

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Added an egress window to your home can be both exciting and stressful! Exciting for the people that want one and stressful for the people trying to sell their home and its holding up your closing. Every town is requiring egress windows and we see that 90% of the time it is when the customer is trying to sell and is in violation. The violation has to be corrected and holds up the sale for both buyer and seller. Contact us today for a free estimate if you are interested in an egress window installation!!!!

 

                                              845-590-5336

 

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Topics: basements, egress windows, finished basement, fire escape, window, foundation