To provide great basement drainage, you need to understand the history of basements in the Pacific Northwest. In the Seattle residential areas, particularly in homes built before the 1980s, basements are common, especially in hilly areas like the Pacific Northwest where “daylight basements” are prevalent. Daylight basements are partially above ground on one side due to the sloping terrain, allowing for natural light through windows.
The use of basements in homes has varied over time. Older homes, particularly those from the early 20th century, often included basements for practical reasons like storage, laundry, or even as living spaces. However, newer construction trends, especially from the 1980s onward, have seen fewer basements due to cost, maintenance concerns, and changing preferences for living space. We have given thousands of Northwest basement owners peace of mind knowing even with heavy rain, their basements will stay dry.
Floor Drain Basement Drainage
Floor drains are the drains you typically see on the floor, they will have some sort of grate on top of them. Floor drains are effect when water accumulates on the floor and can prevent major flooding. However, it doesn't stop the water from getting into your basement. This is a reactive type of drain, not a proactive type such as a sump pump or french drain basement system which takes the water from the ground BEFORE it accumulates on the floor of your basement.
Sump Pump Basement Drainage System
One of the most common types of Northwest basement drainage systems is the sump pump system. We typically use these systems when a typically gravity system will not work. Most of the time it is when we need to push the water up to get it out of the home. We see these quite often and they work great. One caveat though is that there must be power in order for the pump to work, which most of the time is OK, but if the power goes out, the pump will not work. This is one reason why we recommend batter backups so that if a large, wet storm hits and the power goes out, your pump can still function for a period of time. As another "backup" option, it might be good to consider second pump as a backup in case the first one fails. With regular maintenance however, sump pumps can last long past the factory warranty depending on the usage. To protect your basement, we typically install a french drain around the perimeter of your basement, then feed that French drain into a basin that contains the sump pump. Underground water heading for your basement floor is collected via the french drain, gravity drains the water into the basin and when the water his a certain level, the sump pump is activated and water is pumped out of your home. A very efficient system.
French Drain (gravity) Basement Drainage
The basement French drain gravity system is a proactive water removal system that collects water under the ground before it comes up into your basement. We consider this system a proactive system. French drain systems are excellent because they do not rely on your electriciy being up and running. It is powered by gravity, which is stable. French drain systems are trenches dug below the grade of your basement. We then add a perforated (holes poked in it) pipe and lay it in at an angle so that water flows properly. We wrap it in a fiber cloth to help prevent clogging and ensure there are clean out areas where your system can be flushed if needed. We break out the concrete, install the system, then re-pour the concrete. Trenches are usually only around 12 to 24 inches wide and are typically installed around the perimeter of the basement, but each system design is different based on many factors like ground level, water volume, age of your home, etc.