Frequently Asked Questions

Wet yard areas can be a general nuisance in many ways and may be caused by several factors. Generally, this is due to poor grading and drainage with areas being too flat to drain properly or lacking an outfall, that is, water becomes trapped. Soils can also be a contributing factor. In much of the northern Virginia suburbs, shallow dense and deep clayey soils dominate, even in forested areas. These clay soils inhibit or prevent storm-water infiltration into the soil, trapping water on the surface. Where slopes are insufficient to drain effectively, wet areas can occur. Where standing water is close around a house, these conditions can contribute to basement wetness problems. These problems often require measures such as buried drains or Exterior French Drains, re-grading or soils amendment to mitigate, and in some cases, a combination of such treatments.
Erosion problems are usually related to steep slopes and lack of protective cover such as vegetation, but also can be due to concentration of surface flow. The larger the drainage area, the greater the expected flow, but this also is relative to soils permeability. Even relatively small areas such as roof tops, which are impermeable and when concentrated in downspouts can lead to erosion issues without some vegetative or mechanical means of protecting the soil. Even areas of un-concentrated “sheet” flow can be subject to erosion such as in shaded areas where vegetative cover may be poor or non-existent.
Sinkholes may and slumping ground may occur where some unseen underground condition causes surface subsidence. This may be due to a broken sewer or drain pipe allowing soil to enter, or by a condition called natural piping, which may be caused by an underground stream or shifting soils. On occasion, slumps may be caused by old tree stumps or logs buried below grade as the organic material deteriorates, or by otherwise unconsolidated soils.

Homeowners may also see slumping right at the foundation of the house. This is generally due to poorly compacted fill placed during construction that, consolidates over time. This can be problematic as it may hold water near the foundation which can contribute to basement moisture problems by trapping and concentrating water down the wall. This can often be rectified, or at least reduced, by simple re-grading to slope the soil away from the foundation.

Wet basement problems can be caused by a number of conditions but depending on severity, generally are related to a lack of, or insufficient, exterior protection of foundation walls or penetrations of the wall.

Contrary to common thought, both poured concrete and more particularly, masonry block walls, by themselves are still permeable materials. All foundation walls require a protective coating on the exterior to prevent water permeating through the material. In the past, this was accomplished with coatings of dense cement parging or a liquefied asphaltic compound. Parge is subject to cracking or delamination and asphaltic coatings can fail with aging. This alone can lead to moderate dampness issues.

Aside from the obvious leaking of water running across a basement floor, there are other indicators of leakage issues. Most basements will have some level of higher humidity than upper levels but excessive humidity can indicate a moderate problem. More severe issues may be indicated by staining or efflorescence on open masonry or concrete walls. Efflorescence is leaching of salts from the concrete or block due to passage of water thru the material. Worse yet might be the presence of mold on organic materials such as wood or drywall. Black mold can be very dangerous to health and should be mitigated as soon as possible.

A more serious problem, of significant leaking into a basement from surface flow sources, is usually the result of some penetration of the wall such as cracks, utility penetrations or other failures in the wall. Foundation cracking may be due to differential settlement of the footings (unconsolidated soil under the base of wall), poor concrete mix, aged mortar in Masonry block, etc.. Moisture in the soils surrounding the foundation can lead to premature deterioration of masonry block in particular, a not uncommon problem in older homes. Significant moisture problems most often require excavation in the suspected areas of leaks (if they cannot be identified from the interior) and sealing on any penetrations and application of modern and more durable waterproofing compounds. In extreme cases, where foundation settlement is suspected leading to major cracks, installation of remedial foundation piers may be required before any waterproofing work is performed, but can be one continuous operation as both require excavation along the foundation wall.

As noted regarding soils, back fill around foundations is usually less dense than surrounding native soils. Water that may be present near the foundation therefore, finding the path of least resistance, may flow directly down the exterior of the wall and in clayey soils, may be trapped for long periods before finally draining into surrounding soils. Over time, poorly compacted soils around the house may also slump.. homeowners may notice this.. and such slumping can hold water which can contribute to basement dampness or leak problems. A good rule of thumb is that grade should slope away from a basement wall at least 6 inches vertically within 10 feet, and then be drained away. This is not always the case in existing homes or possible and may require measures to improve drainage away from the home or divert flows away from the foundation.

Can also be problematic where insufficient grade exists. Roofs are impervious areas and drain very quickly. Downspouts which are not directed to flow well away from the foundation can contribute to problems.

Window or egress wells can also be a source of problems. Surface water should always must be drained away from wells to the maximum extent possible and wells should also be provided with drainage in the base which should extend well below the well bottom if not to the foundation drain at the base of the wall. Often, older wells may become separated where they attach to the wall, allowing excess water to enter, leading to periodic flooding of the well. Unsealed windows are then an open path for water to enter the basement.

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JJ Basements & Yards focuses on solving problems, not selling products! We identify the root cause of your wet basement or property drainage issues, then create a plan to fix the problem.

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JJ Basements & Yards
11890 Sunrise Valley Drive
Suite 507
Reston, VA 20191
703-520-4620