Control surface water

Interior · Wet Basements and Crawlspaces · printed page 371 (PDF page 372)

Book index entries

Basement – Keeping Dry by Controlling Surface Water Control Surface Water to Keep Basement Dry Basement – Wet Crawlspace – Wet Wet Basement – and Crawlspaces Wet Crawlspaces and Basements

Text in the illustration

downspout
catch basin
french drain
A
roof water
improve/maintain gutters and downspouts
B
surface water
ensure positive slope away from house (use swales and/or catch basin as necessary)
below-grade drainage pipe from downspout

Generated explanation

The illustration shows a house with two complementary measures for controlling water around the foundation. Roof water is collected by gutters and downspouts, with an annotation recommending their improvement or maintenance. Dashed lines show below-grade drainage pipes carrying downspout discharge away from the house to a labeled French drain. A grated catch basin also collects surface runoff and connects to the drainage arrangement. A separate annotation recommends positive slope away from the house, using swales or a catch basin as necessary to help keep basements and crawlspaces dry.

Components

roof gutters downspouts below-grade drainage pipes catch basin catch basin grate French drain foundation walls exterior siding

Materials

gravel or drainage aggregate

Related illustrations

2068

Roof and surface water control

· p. 369

The illustration shows a house with gutters along the roof edges and downspouts at the corners for collecting and discharging roof runoff. A large arrow on the roof indicates water movement toward the eave. Arrows on the

1902

Gutter and downspout installation

· p. 342

The illustration shows an eaves gutter along a sloped roof, connected to a downspout running down the exterior wall. Callouts specify securing the gutter every 2 to 3 feet and providing a proper gutter slope of 1 in 200.

1910

Downspout extension too short

· p. 344

A cross-section at a house foundation compares a short downspout outlet with a longer extension shown in dashed outline. The short outlet, marked with a red X, discharges into a depression in settled backfill beside the

2070

Swales

· p. 369

The illustration shows a house on a contoured site with shallow drainage swales located away from the building. Arrows indicate surface runoff flowing down the higher ground behind the house into the swales. Large arrows