Condo Media - March 2023 - 33

As it will prove diffi cult and expensive
to re-apply waterproofi ng to the exterior
wall, the typical repair is a pressure
injection of polyurethane or other type
of foam product into cracks in the wall.
The second step is just as important.
Surface water comes from a variety of
sources. It can be rain or snow melting
on the roof, rain falling on the soil near
the foundation, or water from nearby
sloping land. Roof gutters are supposed
to divert water away from the building,
but often they are the primary source
of water to the ground around the
foundation. Gutters are often poorly
designed - either they are undersized in
handling the fl ow of water off the roof
area, do not have enough downspouts
to handle the quantity of run-off water,
or the gutter/ downspout is broken or
incorrectly placed.
If gutters are installed too low at
the roof edge, steep roofs will create a
velocity in the laminar fl ow of water to
overshoot the gutter during heavy rain
events. Downspouts often discharge
their water near the foundation rather
than diverting it away from the wall.
I recommend adding a minimum six-feet
extension to the end of the downspout.
Furthermore, you should treat the drip
edge area along the foundation wall as
a 'secondary' roof. By this I mean, you
should seal the drip edge from allowing
water from the roof or other source to
enter the soil near the foundation.
Keep in mind the soil has been cultivated
and it absorbs water readily.
Newer homes also have the problem
of the soil along the foundation being
backfi ll soil that is not compacted well,
allowing easy water passage, in effect
creating a short circuit from the roof to
your basement. This soft soil also is susceptible
to settlement, creating a place
for water to pool or cause erosion, allowing
even more water to enter the soil.
To prevent this problem, you must
fi rst create a positive slope on the
surface away from the foundation.
A good rule of thumb is to create a slope
dropping three inches over six feet.
Once the proper slope is in place, cover
it with 6 mil poly plastic approximately
If your foundation is leaking, you need a two-step
action plan. First, fi x the wall problem allowing
water to infi ltrate into the basement, and second,
minimize surface water reaching the exterior
of your foundation wall.
18 inches wide along the foundation
perimeter. This is your " secondary "
roof preventing water from entering
the soil. Cover this waterproof barrier
with stone or other suitable material to
prevent the poly sheet from moving.
You may also have to slope the land
nearby to prevent your neighbor's
land from contributing to your surface
water. This can be done with shallow
surface ditches called swales or buried
ditches called French drains. This type
of drain is a trench at the foot of a slope
shedding water toward your home
designed to intercept surface water
from reaching your foundation wall.
Buried in the trench is a perforated
pipe to divert water. Your landscaper or
property manager can provide details
on available options. With a logical
plan, you can have the dry basement
you deserve.
■ JACK CARR, P.E., LEED-AP,
IS SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT WITH
CRITERIUM-ENGINEERS IN PORTLAND,
MAINE. HE IS A MEMBER OF THE
CONDO MEDIA BOARD .
One legal team for all your condo needs.
Advisingmanagement companies, associations,
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March 2023 CONDOMEDIA 33
Condo Media - March 2023

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