Anybody got experience with B-Dry System?

[Moveon]

I worked for a company that did basement waterproofing for over 30 years and has a great reputation with the local better business bureau.

The company would guarantee the results to the homeowner and the warranty was transferable to the new owner if needed.

What they do is dig a trench all around the perimeter inside the basement. They then drill holes into the concrete blocks to allow water to drain out and to relieve the water pressure behind the walls. The water is directed out of the holes into the trench by putting plastic up against the holes. The plastic covers the holes and forces the water into to the trench. The trench is filled with pea gravel and corregated pvc flexible pipe and it's all sloped to a sump pump.

Also the holes that are drilled into the concrete block are flushed out with a garden hose to get any mud out of the concrete blocks.

The trench is right next to the block wall and is filled with pea gravel up to within a few inches of the top of the fllor and then concrete is poured on top to match the basement's floor.

Any water that goes though the wall is captured by the drainage system and pumped out of the hose with a sump pump.

B-Dry uses a similar type setup to get the water out of the basement.

NOTE: It's best to setup the sump pump with a battery back up system in case of a short power outage.

I myself need this in my crawl space. I just don't have $6000 to get the job done right now.

My old boss used to work for his dad who started the water proofing business over 40 years ago. My old boss did waterproofing but also did whole house remodeling as well as commercial remodeling for a lot of the companies in Evansville, IN.

I hope this helps you and if you need any details just pm me.

[DJD]

If anyone has a sump pump with a well or holding tank/pipe I would recommend monitoring the water level with your security system. I have seen several pumps fail and the homeowner doesn't find out until they have a flooded basement which could be days after the pump failed. This way if the water level hits the contact you will be notified at any time.

[Moveon]

I saw this in another post in this tread. But someon else mentioned using a water pressure type pump as a back up. I've not see these but think I know what he was talking about. It works on water pressure of the city water supply lines. In case of a power outage the city water pressure should still be there to drive the sump pump.

But the idea of having the system connected to a security system is a good idea.

I hope you get this fixed.

PS: One more short story. I found the floor on my spare bedroom had fallen down 2". I found out that the water in the crawl space had caused the ends of the floor joyces to rot and this made the floor at that corner of the room to fall down 2".

I had to pay someone to fix the floor joyces and prop the floor back up.

Water in a crawl space can make the wood floor material absorb water vapor and rot over time. This is most prevelant on the NW corner of the house where the cold winter winds blow on this side of the house. This corner of the house will be colder than the rest of the house and the water vapor will condense onto the wood and cause it to absorb moisture.

PSS: Excessive moiture will cause mold to grow in the crawl space or behind the drywall in a basement. To get rid of the mold you have to get rid of the excessive moisture. The B-DRy system will help get rid of the moisture which will stop the mold from growing.

Mold needs dark moist warm conditions before it can grow and reproduce it's spores. Spores can persist for very long periods of times before they start to grow. If they don't have the right conditions to grow they will remain dormant.

PSS: many home insurance policies won't cover mold damage anymore. The companies found out it cost too much to fix the mold problem. And my insurance company failed to cover the damage to my floor. They said I didn't have flood insurance. I don't even live by a river or stream for that matter. It's just regular rain water that drains though the yard during heavy rains.

If anyone has a sump pump with a well or holding tank/pipe I would recommend monitoring the water level with your security system. I have seen several pumps fail and the homeowner doesn't find out until they have a flooded basement which could be days after the pump failed. This way if the water level hits the contact you will be notified at any time.

[Shellkat]

Most companys take care of of your leak inside your house, but guess what you still have a leak and water in your house. These companys do this by channeling to a pump, the water is still in the house, just not running out in the floor. You can have a cracked wall and not have a leak. Two things keep a basement or crawl dry, gutters draining away from house and positive grade. Positive grade means you have at least 6 inches of fall in 10 feet. Very small holes next to walls can gather water and ack as a funnel. Mulch next to a walle can appear to build up grade, but you just added a giant sponge to your funnel. Most homes have drain tile around the house, is the end still exposed, did the sod guy cover it up, did the homeowner plant a tree on it, the list goes on.

[MrSplitshot]

Most companys take care of of your leak inside your house, but guess what you still have a leak and water in your house. These companys do this by channeling to a pump, the water is still in the house, just not running out in the floor. You can have a cracked wall and not have a leak. Two things keep a basement or crawl dry, gutters draining away from house and positive grade. Positive grade means you have at least 6 inches of fall in 10 feet. Very small holes next to walls can gather water and ack as a funnel. Mulch next to a walle can appear to build up grade, but you just added a giant sponge to your funnel. Most homes have drain tile around the house, is the end still exposed, did the sod guy cover it up, did the homeowner plant a tree on it, the list goes on.

Gotcha.

The back of my house is entirely Deck and Mulch. Supposedly, the builder that built the house uses drain tile on the outside and inside of the footer...all routed to the sump well and pumped out. There's a line coming out of the side of the house that appears to run all the way down, under the sidewalk, and tie into a storm drain. (Which I didn't think you could do.) It doesn't daylight anywhere.

Coincidentally, the area of my form joint leak is right around where the deck ends. There are 6x6 piers set in the ground there, but in talking to the old homeowner he said that they are fairly shallow....set in 2' of concrete....not tied to the house or foundation at all. (It's a flat ground-level deck, because my backyard is basically flat. I don't see too much grade away from the house...maybe a little. The downspouts on the back corners go into the ground with black plastic accordian stuff....and I can't find where they daylight. ??

[Shellkat]

I seen alot, we had a new house(400 grand) with a leak, found the leak was where the plummer ran water in and didnot seal both sides of wall. Had a leak on another that had a short wall below basement, real common on walkouts, punched in some drains and it was like they opened a sluice gate below wolf creek. All of our new homes have interior and exterior along the footer now. These drains are daylighted with hard pipe. That black flex pipe will crush and the ridges collect dirt and eventually clog. Hard pipe can be unstopped. Like I said in earlier post most houses have foundations drains, did they get damaged, covered, inverted flow( just because the end is lower than the beginning with a sag in the middle does not mean it drains). If you cant stop the water coming in, channel the water around the edges, add some rocks, fish and have a. indoor stream.You still have water in the house.

[Shellkat]

Like I said estimates are free. If that deck is causing a problem and you cant get under it, take that money and build a roof over it, get your gutters fixed remember your putting 2000sq foot of water in a 4 inch holes, if water is running to you do something to divert it. This can be done wirh landscaping, not just mulch. Consider your house is your boat, if its leaking do you add a bilge pump, when leak gets worse, bigger pump. No try something outside first.

[MrSplitshot]

Like I said estimates are free. If that deck is causing a problem and you cant get under it, take that money and build a roof over it, get your gutters fixed remember your putting 2000sq foot of water in a 4 inch holes, if water is running to you do something to divert it. This can be done wirh landscaping, not just mulch. Consider your house is your boat, if its leaking do you add a bilge pump, when leak gets worse, bigger pump. No try something outside first.

Alright, Shellkat....What's the name of your company? You're starting to make sense. LOL Do you all do all of that kind of work, or just grading?

[Shellkat]

Land Services 8596218791, we do grading, drainage and excavating for the last 17 years. We built houses for 13the years before that. We work with several other trades alot and can bring in who we need. Lets see what you got and go from there.

[stoner]

just my 2 cents worth, but I have a B-dry system and it works. My buddy has a the same system in a finished basement. Set him back 4500 for the front side of basement and 1 or 2 sides, he didnt have the back done.
If water wants in its coming in, your best bet is to get rid of it ASAP. The less time its there the less damage it an do.
the system does what it says its going to do and from a resale stand point it makes potential buyers feel a little better about the purchase.

[MrSplitshot]

If anyone has a sump pump with a well or holding tank/pipe I would recommend monitoring the water level with your security system. I have seen several pumps fail and the homeowner doesn't find out until they have a flooded basement which could be days after the pump failed. This way if the water level hits the contact you will be notified at any time.

Good advice. I have a Smith & Wesson Security system, so all I did to tie in to that was go to Lowes and buy some of those "water alarms" that run on 9V batteries. I've got one next to my sump well, next to my hot water heater, next to my washing machine...

[MrSplitshot]

It is a form joint, I believe, yes....I say that because you can see a place where there is rust, which I think comes off the materials that hold it in place while pouring?

My only concern with B-Dry is that my basement is finished....I've obviously cut out the drywall where this form joint leak is, which they will be able to put their rigid sealer on....but they won't be able to do that anywhere else. They'll build the interior trench, drill the holes to relieve the pressure, and do their whole deal....I just wonder how well that prevents more cracks/leaks in the future in other areas around the basement? My basement is big, not a walk-out...I think 200 linear feet around the perimeter. If it relieves the pressure and directs the water down into their new draining system, I guess it does ok. I qualified with the guy that IF I spring any kind of foundation leak, whether it's floor, under/above the footer, or up higher on the wall....it's covered and they come fix it. (Granted, they don't replace carpet and drywall...but that's the cheap part.)