A Drain At The Footing Inside The Basement
Water that comes through a block wall is collected at the footing and pumped out before it reaches the floor.
What an Interior Perimeter Drainage System Is and When It Is the Right Call
The method accepts that water will reach the wall and controls where it goes from there. We cut the basement floor about 16 inches from the wall all the way around the perimeter and dig down to the footer. French drain material is laid in that trench, at the level where water actually arrives, and sloped to a sump basin. The sump pump lifts the water out of the house, and a battery backup pump takes over if the power fails or the primary pump cannot keep up. The trench is then filled and the concrete re poured so the floor is solid again.
Where water is coming through the block itself, we add a 20 mil poly liner on the wall. It runs from the top of the wall down into the drain, so moisture that comes through the block is directed behind the liner and into the trench instead of evaporating into the room or wicking up the wall. It also covers the efflorescence and staining that block walls collect over years of seepage. The liner is an addition, recommended where the wall is the entry point, not a substitute for the drain.
This is the right call when the water is coming through the walls or the wall to floor joint and the soil outside is the reason. It works no matter how saturated the clay gets, and it does not require digging around the outside of the house. It is not the right call when the water is coming from somewhere the drain cannot reach: a plumbing leak, a window well, or a downspout emptying against the wall. The inspection looks at gutters, downspouts and the slope of the ground, and if the problem starts outside we will say so.
Expect concrete dust and noise while the floor is cut, and a finished floor with a visible seam where the new concrete meets the old. The sump basin has a lid and the pumps sit inside it. The liner covers the walls but does not change what is behind them.
How We Install an Interior Perimeter Drain
Cut the floor about 16 inches from the wall
The concrete floor is cut in a line about 16 inches out from the foundation wall, all the way around the perimeter. The strip of slab is removed to expose the ground beneath.
Dig to the footer
The trench is dug down to the top of the footing, which is the level where water enters through the wall to floor joint and where seepage through the block collects.
Lay the French drain material
French drain material is placed in the trench with fall toward the sump location. It admits water from the wall and the ground while keeping soil out, so it keeps flowing over time.
Set the sump with battery backup
The drain is routed to a sump basin with a primary pump and a battery backup pump. The discharge line runs to a point outside far enough from the foundation that the water cannot soak back to the footing.
Line the walls where water comes through
Where water is entering through the block, a 20 mil poly liner is applied to the wall from the top down into the drain. Moisture that comes through is directed into the trench instead of into the room.
Re pour the concrete
The trench is filled and new concrete is poured to bring the floor back level with the existing slab. The floor is usable again once it cures, with the drain and basin below it.
A Local, Family Owned Team in South Hill
Rozier is a family owned, faith-driven company based in South Hill. Because moisture is what invites termites and rodents in the first place, real prevention starts below the surface.
We treat the infestation and correct the moisture conditions that caused it, instead of handing you to a second contractor.
Each home we visit is assessed through a pest lens and a moisture lens, because underneath a house they are the same problem.
We do not arrive with a predetermined treatment and a timer running. What we propose follows from what we find.
Children, pets and sensitive family members are part of the decision about what gets used and how it is applied.
Answers to Common Questions About Interior Perimeter Drainage System
Don't see your question here? Our team is happy to help. Reach out anytime.
Common Signs of Basement Moisture Problems
These are some of the warning signs that can lead to a basement moisture inspection. The right repair depends on what the inspection finds.
Wet Basement Walls
A block wall that sweats, stains or trickles is passing along water the soil outside cannot hold.
Learn more
Basement Flooding After Rain
Water on the floor a day after the storm is the soil outside letting go of what it could not absorb.
Learn more
High Humidity in the Basement
Sticky air and sweating pipes are the basement telling you where its water is coming from.
Learn more
Efflorescence on Basement Walls
The white bloom is harmless by itself. It is also a written record of water passing through the block.
Learn moreProudly Serving Southern Virginia and Northern North Carolina
Rooted in South Hill, we work across both states with the responsiveness of a local team. If your town is not listed, call us. There is a good chance we are already there.
Protection in Three Straightforward Steps
No confusing plans and no pressure. Here is exactly how we get your home protected.
Call for a free estimate.
One quick call and we schedule a visit at a time that suits you, at no cost and with no obligation to go ahead.
Get a plan built for your home.
We inspect above and below the surface, explain plainly what we found, and recommend only what your property actually needs.
We handle the work.
Our team carries out the treatment or the repair, and tells you what to expect afterwards and when we will be back.
Read What Our Neighbors Say
Verified Google reviews from homeowners throughout southern Virginia and northern North Carolina.
Expert Guidance on Protecting Your Home
Practical articles from the Rozier team on foundation health, waterproofing, and home preservation.
Pest ControlFeatured5 Tips to Avoid a Rodent Infestation
Five practical steps to keep mice and rats out: seal entry gaps, trim back vegetation, store food securely, manage trash, and dry standing water.
Pest ControlHow to Get Rid of German Cockroaches
German cockroaches live indoors all year and hide in kitchen and bathroom gaps, so sprays often miss them. What usually works, and what usually does not.
Basement WaterproofingWhat Is a Sump Pump and How Does It Work?
A sump pump sits in a pit below the basement floor and pumps rising groundwater away from the house. How it works, the main types, and signs it may need attention.