New house

2diamondfarm · Sep 20, 2013

I am having a new house built and am looking for the best way to water proof the basement.
The soil is all clay the footings are all in and they have pea stone and drain tile that will be under the slab and a sump crock.
There will be porches on three sides so that should help with the rain.
What is the best thing to do on the outside?
the walls will be poured concrete.

Cub 7274 · Sep 20, 2013

Here in Ontario all new foundations are wrapped with a product called Delta MS its a membrane that diverts water away from the walls directly to the weeping tile
Works very well

teejk · Sep 20, 2013

Most likely your new house will have pvc drain tile inside and outside at the footings, all leading to your sump "crock" (we call them "pits" here). And I think you will also have the outside walls painted with tar up to grade. I think that is all now part of the Uniform Building code.

Dunno about Michigan but here we are now required to frame out the basement walls and insulate them with batting (no vapor barrier...they want it to breath I guess). A "netting" is then applied across the walls (you've probably seen it in Home Depot lately). The emphasis lately is on mold control (the stuff we always breathed when we were growing up).

Being a new house, realize that it might take a year or two before all the moisture leaves your basement from the concrete walls and floor. You will need an "exit point" for that...a little heat is probably wise with an open basement window or an open door into your living area.

2diamondfarm · Sep 21, 2013

teejk said:
Most likely your new house will have pvc drain tile inside and outside at the footings, all leading to your sump "crock" (we call them "pits" here). And I think you will also have the outside walls painted with tar up to grade. I think that is all now part of the Uniform Building code.

Dunno about Michigan but here we are now required to frame out the basement walls and insulate them with batting (no vapor barrier...they want it to breath I guess). A "netting" is then applied across the walls (you've probably seen it in Home Depot lately). The emphasis lately is on mold control (the stuff we always breathed when we were growing up).

they are putting Styrofoam on the inside of the walls for the insulation

teejk · Sep 21, 2013

ok...I guess if it's good for your local code, then you get what you get. Realize that poured concrete walls are going to sweat for a year or two and unless the foam is part of the concrete form (newer technology that actually uses a foam sandwich for pouring), you are going to have moisture pockets behind it. I've yet to see a perfectly flat concrete basement wall utilizing standard concrete forms.

MotorSeven · Sep 22, 2013

I use Platon on my house along with a perimeter drain. Before I got gutters up and the land sloped correctly(almost a year) in the front all the water ran back towards the house. We had a ton of rain and zero problems in the basement. It would be easier with two people, but I installed it all by myself using the 10wide rolls....the stuff is thick & tough. I think my total cost for the Platon, nails & hangers was around $400....very reasonable.
Platon - Foundations - Foundations - CertainTeed

System Platon Foundation Waterproofing - YouTube

MotorSeven · Sep 22, 2013

Also, my buddy had a house built here by a local builder. I recommended Platon, but the builder used some kind of green spray on waterproof type paint. His basement leaked in a dozen different places, so they got excavator out there and removed all the backfill. Again, I recommended Platon, but the builder put up heavy mill black plastic sheeting, then 1/2" foam board & refilled. He then re-contoured the land sloping away from the walls...so far it had worked. I talked to the builder a few weeks ago and asked why he did not use Platon...he acted like he never heard of it

Some people you just can't reach...........

Old Virginia Joe · Sep 22, 2013

My full basement was 12 inch poured concrete. French drain plastic perforated pipe at the foundation, carried away to a nearby gulley, rocked, sediment cloth over it, more rock. The outside cement wall was rolled with a blue-green adhesive, then thick rubber membrane applied, then styrofoam board to prevent backfill rocks against the membrane, then backfill. Graded away from the walls, no gutters on house. Inside sump pump in poured cast pit hole. Floor and wall never wet in 11 years. Inside cement wall is unfinished in any way, no treatments, no coatings. Worked out pretty well.

Lahen · Sep 24, 2013

Cub 7274 said:
Here in Ontario all new foundations are wrapped with a product called Delta MS its a membrane that diverts water away from the walls directly to the weeping tile
Works very well

Yeah. I agree with Cub. I am also from ontario , Delta MS membrane diverts water away from the walls directly to the weeping tile. Otherwise counseling with a good builder is also a good option.