Recommendation points
In order for the water not to flood the basement and erode the foundation, it is necessary to perform a whole range of works. It includes: waterproofing the foundation, organizing a blind area around the perimeter of the house and drainage. How to make a drainage system yourself is described in this article..
In houses with buried basements, the problem of basement flooding is especially acute. Spring flood or rainwater can not only cause various inconveniences, but can also damage the load-bearing structural elements of the building. That is why, when building a house, it is necessary to carry out all the necessary work on waterproofing the foundation and drainage. Drainage is used as a drainage system. This article will talk about how to make a drainage system on your own, it will cost quite inexpensively, and its use will allow you to keep the basement dry even if water penetrates into the basement area.
How the drainage system works
The drainage system, being a drainage system, simply, as the name implies, removes water from the soil from the foundation. It is a ditch or pipe laid at a depth below the maximum allowable water level. Everything above is drained. Ditches are rarely used for drainage around the house, but special pipes that have a rather large diameter, at least 100 mm, a network of small holes over the entire surface, thanks to which water gets inside, as well as a filter film that prevents debris from entering the pipe and, as a result, which prevents it from clogging up with debris, they are used everywhere. In addition to pipes, the drainage system is equipped with inspection or inspection chambers. Generally speaking, this element is desirable but not required. All pipes are made at an angle to the horizon so that the water can drain on its own. As a result, the entire system is discharged into a common drainage well or, if the site has a natural slope, simply outward at its lowest part. There, by the way, you can equip a small pond fed by water from the drain. After the completion of the work, only the outputs of the inspection wells and the cover of the catchment tank or the outlet of the drainage pipe will remain on the ground.
Required tools and materials
We need the following tools:
- Level.
- Shovel.
- Glue gun.
And the following materials:
2. Geotextile with a density of 160 microns and a width of 2 m.
3. Drainage pipe, diameter 110 or 160 mm.
4. Manhole pipe.
5. Cover and bottom for wells.
6. Coupling.
7. Granite crushed stone.
The calculation is as follows: we buy geotextile and a drainage pipe around the perimeter of the house. It is better to choose a two-layer deep-seated pipe, since all this is buried in the ground and then it will be difficult to dig out and redo it, so it is better to play it safe. We take the pipe to the inspection wells with a diameter of 315 mm – they will be needed according to the number of pipe turning angles – as a rule, 4 pieces, and such a length that they eventually stick out from the ground by about 500 mm. Cover and bottom – 2 pieces for each inspection well, couplings – one for each pipe and well joint. Granite crushed stone of the finest fraction 5–20 on the basis that about 0.2 cubic meters of granite are needed for 1 meter of drainage. Granite can be replaced with gravel – it will come out a little cheaper, but in no case with crushed stone from limestone, since over time it is washed out with water
We make a drainage system
1. We finish the wells. To do this, cut holes with a diameter equal to the drainage pipe, that is, 110 or 160 mm, respectively, and weld the sleeve to the well pipe using a glue gun. This must be done for a more tight fit between the drainage pipe and the well. You can do without this, just seal the junction, for example, with geotextile, but such a refinement, being quite simple, will somewhat improve the quality of the final work.
2. Dig a trench about half a meter wide to the depth of the bottom of the foundation. The slope of the trench is about 1–2 cm per meter.
3. In the resulting trench we spread the geotextile and pour about 20 cm of granite gravel.
4. Next, lay the drainage pipe. The slope of the trench will provide the necessary slope for the pipe, which will allow the water to drain freely.
5. In the corners of the house we put drainage wells, burying them about 30 cm below the level of the drainage pipes. We connect wells and pipes.
6. From the lowest point of the system, we make a branch to the catchment well.
7. We fill the pipe with rubble. As a result, there should be about 20 cm around it..
8. We wrap the geofabric.
9. You can fill the hole.
The drain is ready. We cover the inspection pipes with lids and enjoy the dryness in the basement.
“Is it feasible for a beginner to install a DIY home drainage system without professional assistance? Are there any key considerations or specific steps that should be followed to ensure its effectiveness and avoid potential complications?”