Do you know about a Lateral drain in basement floors to prevent water from seeping in?
Asked by Nard Van der Weijde 
1 month ago
Last Updated: October 21, 2024
Has anyone heard of a “lateral” drain or something like that in a basement floor to prevent water from seeping in?
In my view, a lateral refers to the pipe that runs from your house to the city sewer system. Pinpointing the exact location of the blockage will determine if it falls under the city’s jurisdiction.
So, you’ve got hydrostatic water pressure under the floor. The solution is to dig a trench around the perimeter, lay drain tile and clean stone in a grid pattern across the floor, and direct the water to a sump crock.
Hey, there’s a French drain with a sump pump installed by the previous owner. Have you noticed if the lateral drains make a big difference in this situation? Not much of a slope toward the house and gutters are working fine.
Definitely. Step one is to confirm that your gutter downspouts are connected to a storm drain system that leads at least 10 feet away from the foundation and downhill. If that’s set, then you’ll need to install a french drain beneath the basement slab around the foundation walls. After that, it should flow back to a sump pump and be discharged at least 20 feet away from the foundation and downhill. Finish off by pouring concrete over for a leveled basement floor.
I agree, the original poster should search for companies that specialize in interior waterproofing in their area.
I forgot to mention that I now have a French drain with a sump pump. Almost all areas drain away from the house except for one small area. Other houses in the neighborhood also have water problems, but I’ve never seen a lateral drain before. The driveway is not sealed between slabs and the house, so I’m not sure how much of an impact that has on everything.
A simpler solution would be to install a sump pump in the basement. I’ll need more details. Is the ground still frozen? Have neighboring houses experienced any issues? Is the property connected to city utilities or reliant on well water and septic systems?
Just to clarify, there’s drain tile on the inside with a sump pump. I purchased this place three years ago and the previous owners took care of that, along with power bracing beams on one basement wall. We’re in a low-lying area and I don’t recall seeing this issue during heavier rains in the past. We have city water in Madison, WI. Some houses in the neighborhood have basement moisture problems. I was wondering if the lateral drain makes a significant difference. I also never got around to caulking the driveway joints last year.
Is your sump pump running non-stop? was right about the hydrostatic pressure under your floor pushing water through the cracks. It seems like the water is finding the easiest way through, which makes me wonder if the drain tile was only partially repaired or some sections need to be flushed. If the drain tile and sump crock were installed properly, you should hear a steady flow of water into the crock when your floor looks like this (since that’s the path of least resistance). Did the previous owner hire a reliable contractor for the repair job? How long ago was it done? The contractors we used in SE WI provided 10 & 25 year warranties that transfer to new owners. It might be worth checking if the contractor’s work is under warranty.