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We are looking to buy a house and saw a really nice one recently, the only problem is very wet basement and back yard. We don't know much about the potential dangers of such water issues and were wondering if it would be a huge mistake to buy that house. In the back yard, there are some areas with standing (stagnant) water, and the ground (which is relatively stable and dry near the house) changes into mushy and soggy grass area, and finally into a larger area with swamp-like vegetation and standing water. There is a built-in stream or waterway passing one side of the house, from which water is flowing into town drainage system. However, there is nothing on the other side, where the water is simply standing. The basement is wet, and we were told that this was because of "high ground water table" in the area. It has some built-in drains and a sump pump, but there was plenty of water in the sump pump when we looked at it, also part of the floor was wet.
It is sometimes said that houses with wet basements can have issues with mold, rot, and other such problems. Also the wet conditions in the backyard certainly cause a rise in mosquito population. Other than that, the house is really very nice. Would you recommend to buy such a house, could the water situation be managable?
Thanks for the replies. But what are the reasons why you wouldn't consider such house? What are some of the dangers of high water table in the basement and back yard?
Thanks for the replies. But what are the reasons why you wouldn't consider such house? What are some of the dangers of high water table in the basement and back yard?
Did a google search, took me 10 seconds, and this is what an insurance company has to say about it - assuming the problem isn't the aforementioned gutters, or the land sloping towards the house:
If no surface water sources are found, then the source of the water is likely subsurface groundwater under hydrostatic pressure. Unfortunately, subsurface groundwater problems are more difficult and more expensive to fix than surface groundwater problems.
When the groundwater levels outside the basement rises above the level of the floor, the basement acts like a boat in a pond. If a boat is sitting in water, water will leak in through any open cracks or holes. It works the same way with a basement. Hydrostatic pressure can push water through hairline cracks.
Symptoms of this are water coming up through cracks in the basement concrete floor or water coming in at multiple locations.
If you have an older house within town and the house has a basement with no sump pump, it is likely the perimeter foundation drain system connects directly into the city storm sewer system. If the level of the basement is below the street level, there is the potential of storm water backing up in the city storm sewer system and being pushed into the perimeter foundation drain system. This can saturate the soils around the house at the basement level with storm water under hydrostatic pressure, causing water to leak in.
Another source of subsurface groundwater is an underground spring.
No matter where it is coming from, the best way to control subsurface groundwater is to install some type of perimeter drain system to relieve hydrostatic pressure. The groundwater is pushed into the drain system and not into areas where it can damage carpets, walls or belongings. The water drains by gravity into a sump pit where a sump pump discharges it out of the house.
There are two basic types of drain systems for wet basements. One is a perimeter above-slab gutter system installed at the base of the exterior foundation walls on top of the floor slab. It doubles as a base material for the wall. The other type of drainage system is a below slab perimeter drainage system. The below slab system requires the partial removal of the concrete floor slab and installation of drainage pipe making it more expensive than the base gutter system.
It is believed that an under-floor drainage system is better because the under-floor drains are believed to relieve the hydrostatic pressure before the water reaches the bottom of the floor slab.
There's more, but you said there was a sump pump... and there is still water.
To chuckity: It is located in a fairly hilly area, in a town in MA (close to Boston)
Nowhere near me then.
We own a rental property that is located in a high water table area coupled with clay for soil. When it rains it sticks around a while.
The house itself has multiple sump pumps - one that dumps every 15 minutes ALL THE TIME. But the house itself is dry.
It's a wet area - and it smells like a wet area. And the bugs from spring to fall can be massive. But it's beautiful and we've never had a problem renting it.
We're also purchasing another home to use as a rental - not in the same area as the first - and it does have a moisture issue in the basement. (I'm married to a Pisces ... I should've expected water problems everwhere.)
But from experience, we know what it takes to fix it.
So to make a long rambling post even longer, if I loved the house and loved the area ... I would definitely start poking around and talking to some neighbors about the water in the area and if they know anything. (Neighbors LOVE to talk about problems!)
Most everything can be fixed - but the correction can be expensive.
The below slab system requires the partial removal of the concrete floor slab and installation of drainage pipe making it more expensive than the base gutter system.
I have this interior system - commonly called a french drain. It was about a 1/3 of the price of installing a new exterior drainage system - and that was before I took into account the replacement of all landscaping, concrete walkways & deck areas.
My own house sits on a hill - and our drainage system failed. Water water everywhere in the basement. (Remember, I'm married to a Pisces.)
I am a HUGE fan of this interior system. HUGE. But there are a ton of scam artists when it comes to basement waterproofing - a good rule of thumb is if it seems to good to be true (or too cheap) it probably is.
Chuckity is on the right path -- ANYTHING can be fixed, the question is how much do you want to spend and how much will you get back.
I have purchased homes that I knew might have some water issues, when it is something that you've had experience with you get to know the "good guy" waterproofing contractors and then you use their services. In situations where the sump pump MUST run all the time you NEED to rely on something other than a regular battery back-up. There are water-powered pumps and pure DC/multiple battery type systems as well as full on-site generators that will keep the home both dry and warm /cool through any power failure. If you decide to make an offer on the property you should price these systems as well as the "worst case" interior under-slab system and factor that into your starting price.
Of course if the yard is ALWAYS wet you will probably want to consult with a qualified engineering firm that has experience with surface water issues. In some cases the ONLY way to address this within the regulations of the muncipality is with the installation of some sort of subsurface cistern with appropriate pumps. Very costly and unusual, but for the right property it could make all the difference between having a swamp and having a usable yard...
These are serious issues and you would be smart to make contacts with the various professionals that know what it takes to make sure there are no exterior insect issues, indoor mold / air quality issues. One of most trusted friends is an architect and he has told me many times "If not for water in its various forms (rain, streams, ice, snow, fog) structures would last indefinitely -- keeping water out of and away from buildings is the single biggest factor in ensuring they retain value."
Good Luck!
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