Foundation without drainage. Foundation drainage - main types and installation technologies

03.11.2023

Foundation drainage is the removal of excess ground or surface moisture from the surrounding soil layer using special systems of channels, pipes, wells and collectors. It is especially in demand at high groundwater levels, rainy climates and in regions with frequent flooding.

Why is drainage needed?

Draining the area adjacent to the foundation will help eliminate or reduce the negative impact of groundwater, floods, and seasonal precipitation.

As a result of frost heaving in winter, soil moves and parts of the foundation are pushed to the surface. This is facilitated by the freezing of the moisture-saturated top layer of the earth. Timely removal of moisture using a drainage system eliminates the main cause - excessive moisture in the soil adjacent to the structure.

The soil is saturated with water in rainy autumn and when snow melts, even at low groundwater levels. The highest quality foundation waterproofing does not protect the structure 100% from moisture. The walls of basements and ground floors are covered with stains of fungus and mold. During winter frosts, the moisture that has turned into ice increases in volume, breaking the pores of the concrete. Cracks appear and spread with each freeze-thaw cycle.

Lack of drainage negatively affects the bearing capacity of soils. Prolonged rains and flood waters erode dense layers of soil, making them loose and unstable. This leads to deformation of the foundation and threatens to destroy the entire house.

Waterlogging of clayey, loamy, peat and silty soils and sapropels is especially dangerous. On such soils, regardless of groundwater level, it is recommended to install drainage around the foundation. This will help avoid dampening of basement walls, freezing of structures, frost heaving, and will extend the service life of the foundation.

Types of drainage systems

Based on their depth, drainage systems are divided into two main types - surface and underground.

Surface drainage

For low groundwater levels and low-permeability soils, surface drainage is used. Its purpose is to collect and drain water from the area adjacent to the house. It is a system of channels with a depth of no more than 1 m, which can be open and decorative or closed, hidden under gratings.

On our website you can find contacts of construction companies that offer the service of design and installation of sewerage and water supply. You can communicate directly with representatives by visiting the “Low-Rise Country” exhibition of houses.

Surface drainage is laid along the walls around the perimeter of the building in the form of:

linear system - earthen gutters that drain flood or rainwater from the foundation, paths, utility rooms into the sewer, septic tank or outside the site;
point drainage open or closed wells located in the lowest places next to communications, retaining walls, and basements.

Underground drainage

Underground drainage has a more complex and often multi-level structure. Used for draining areas with close groundwater, clay soils, in lowlands, near natural reservoirs.

In private construction, three underground drainage systems are used:

Vertical - from wells or drawdown wells up to 20-50 m deep, from which water is pumped out by a pump or penetrates into the underlying water-absorbing layer.
Horizontal - from low-slope perforated pipes laid in trenches with drainage material, conducting water into the drainage well,
Combined - combining horizontal and vertical drainage.

Underground drainage systems have three design forms:

Ring. A closed loop of drains is used to lower the general groundwater level and protect the basements of one or a group of buildings from flooding. Perforated pipes are buried below the base of the foundation and the freezing point of the soil, retreating from the wall by 5-8 meters. This drainage is used on sandy soils, slopes, and when the groundwater level is higher than the base.
Wall. Used when the groundwater level is closer than 0.5 m from the bottom of the foundation, clay soils, and the possibility of flooding with high water. Drains are laid along the perimeter of the walls under the base with a slope of 2°. The liquid flows by gravity or with the help of a pump into drainage collectors, is used for irrigation or is disposed of in the sewer system.
Plast. The most difficult system to construct. Designed to remove interstratal waters located between water-resistant rocks when groundwater is backed up or other types of drainage are ineffective. It is an artificially created reservoir under the foundation slab. Before installation begins, the space is filled with crushed stone, gravel, and stone. The depth of the pit for reservoir drainage is at least 0.3 m.

Elements of systems can be combined or combined.

Drainage calculation

Before starting drainage work, the depth of the drain, the slope of the drains, the number of wells are calculated, and their locations are specified. This will help avoid mistakes in which the operation of the drainage system becomes ineffective or leads to the opposite result.

Surface drainage is laid at a shallow depth. The slope of the gutters should not be less than 2 cm per 100 cm of length in clayey soils, 3 cm in sandy soils. They are located in places where water flows over hard surfaces - paths, platforms and next to drainpipes. It is not recommended to combine it with deep drainage, since in the event of an emergency, the volume of liquid removed may exceed the system's capabilities many times over.

When calculating the underground drainage of a house foundation, two values are taken into account:

Soil freezing depth. Drains must be laid below the point where water in the ground turns into ice. Moisture frozen in the pipe cavity is impenetrable and can tear the walls of the water pipeline. The indicator is determined according to the region according to SNiP "Building Climatology", SP 131.13330.2012 or according to a table on the Internet, taking into account the type of soil. For example, in Moscow, the zero point in loam is at a depth of 120 cm. To this value you need to add the height of the gravel bed 20-40 cm, i.e. 120+40=160 cm.
The depth of the foundation base. The drainage is placed 30-50 cm lower. If the base, for example, a shallow slab, is laid above the soil freezing level, then the pipe must be laid according to the first calculated value, i.e. at a depth of at least 160 cm.

After studying the topography of the site, design the location of drains, inspection wells, water receivers, connecting nodes (SNiP 2.06.15-85, 2.04.03-85), and sketch out a foundation drainage diagram. Take into account the possibility of draining water into a sewer, ravine, or pumping it into a sewer truck.

Drainage wells are placed at bends and no further than 20 m from them, drainage wells - at the lowest points of the site. The slope is 2 cm per 100 cm of water pipes. Pipe diameter - 110-160 mm. Calculate the total length of the drains, the number of connecting elements, the consumption of geotextiles, and the volume of backfill for the cushion.

Construction of a ring drainage

To lower the general groundwater level in sandy soil, a ring drainage is installed at a distance of 5-8 meters from the walls of the house.

The design of the ring drainage system includes:

Laying trenches. During the driest period of the year, for example, at the end of summer, the route is marked with pegs with a cord or fishing line. Channels with vertical walls are dug to the calculated depth. Control the slope with a building level or level. The diameter of the extensions for wells should be 20-30 cm wider.
Add 15-20 cm thick sand to the bottom of the trench.
Laying geotextiles. Align the middle of the canvas with the axis of the channel. The edges are fixed to the walls.
Backfilling of crushed stone cushion. The thickness of the layer is 30 cm. A longitudinal recess is placed in the center for drains.
Laying a drainage pipe. The joints are connected with fittings and clamps.
Adding crushed stone. It should evenly surround the conduit.
Laying geotextiles on top of the crushed stone backfill. The panels are overlapped.
Installation of inspection wells in extensions. Connect to drainage pipes with couplings and plug unused holes.
Insulation of the space between the walls of the well and the ground with expanded clay, polystyrene foam or crushed stone.
Output of the pipe into the general storm sewer, drainage well. If you place the receiving tank at the lowest point of the site, water will flow there along a natural slope without using a pump.

Once every 2-3 years, the system is flushed with water under pressure through inspection wells. Ring drainage is effective with proper calculation and choice of line layout.

Installation of wall foundation drainage

This type of drainage is used on clay soils to protect basements and ground floors from flooding. Before starting work, you need to prepare - analyze the terrain features of the site, draw up a diagram, calculate and deliver materials.

Wall drainage

The installation of wall foundation drainage is carried out following the sequence:

The foundation of the constructed building is torn off until the base is exposed. The width of the ditch is from 25 to 80 cm, depending on the depth of the building.
Storage wells made of concrete rings or ready-made plastic tanks with outlets and perforations are installed.
Waterproof the base using coating or roll materials.
The surface of the foundation is insulated with a slab heat insulator, for example, penoplex.
Inspection wells are installed at the corners of the building, at the intersections of communications and no less than 20 m from the turns. The bottom is deepened relative to the level of the pipes by 10-30 cm. This helps to catch sand from the drainage waters.
Cover with geotextiles.
Perforated pipes are laid on top of a bed of crushed stone or sand, maintaining a slope of 2 cm by 1 meter. They are connected to each other and to the wells with fittings and clamps.
Cover the system with geotextiles.
Backfill with gravel to a thickness of 30 cm with compaction. Returning the original soil to its place.

When building a new house, drainage is installed during excavation work or when constructing the foundation.

Video description

Report on the construction of wall drainage - in this video:

Modern materials for drainage

Currently, the construction market offers an improved version of drains - perforated corrugated pipes with geotextiles or a filtration layer made of coconut fiber. They are sold by the meter in coils. Diameter - 110, 160, 200 mm. They are light, bend and connect well. There are no operations with geofabric on the construction site.

Conclusion

To install surface drainage, ready-made systems of pipes surrounded by foam filler and geotextile mesh are used. This protects the drains from freezing. There is no need to use crushed stone as a drainage material. Its functions are performed by polymer balls. It is enough to dig trenches, lay the finished elements, connect them and bring them into the water storage tank.

The foundation is the basis for any type of structure and ensures its safety and durability. The creation of the base is carried out after assessing the type of soil and choosing a system for removing excess moisture. Drainage of the foundation of a private house will eliminate flooding of basements and washing out of soil around the building. Proper design of the water drainage system will extend the service life of the entire building. The price of such a drainage system depends on a number of factors, including the complexity and duration of the work, and the type of materials used.

Our company offers LightDrain drainage pipes without the use of crushed stone. With their help, foundation drainage is easy to do with your own hands. See the addresses of our stores in Moscow.

Why install a drainage system

Drainage around a home's foundation is necessary to protect the underlying supporting structures from the damaging effects of groundwater. A properly functioning moisture drainage system will protect the basement of the house from flooding and eliminate the possibility of waterlogging in the surrounding area. If you neglect the installation of the drainage system, the service life of the foundation will be significantly reduced. The structure will be negatively affected by waterlogged soil and heaving caused by low temperatures. A competent system provides for drainage not only from the house, but also from the entire site.

Established standards

Groundwater drainage must be arranged in accordance with the project. The system must comply with established building codes. They include the following conditions:

carrying out installation work in the warm season: it is best to opt for the summer months from June to August, since during this period heavy rains rarely occur and the air is quite dry;
When installing it yourself, you will need to build an additional canopy around the building, made of boards and polyethylene. This measure will protect the house and trenches from sudden precipitation;
if installation takes place in conditions of high soil moisture, then the trenches are additionally reinforced with special gratings to prevent the walls from collapsing;
In order to most accurately design the drainage, you will need to carry out preliminary excavation of the foundation. This procedure is necessary to accurately determine the depth, shape and size of the foundation;
for safe and convenient transportation of building materials and soil, the yard is equipped with a system of ladders - blind areas, which are made of boards;
it is also necessary to collect information about the places of greatest accumulation of water and the general level of ground moisture in a particular area.

Elements of the drainage system must be selected based on the following requirements:

the trench should be located at a distance of one meter from the house, 15-30 centimeters deeper than the foundation level. The width of the trench is 30-40 centimeters;
the lower part of the trench is lined with a sand cushion, maintaining a slope directed towards the drainage basins;
wells should not be located closer than 3 meters from the building. As a water collector, you can use a container made of thick plastic with drainage holes at the bottom;
inspection wells are placed at pipe connection areas, since these structures ensure easy flushing of the drainage system during operation;
The higher the level of soil moisture on the territory of a private house, the more wells are installed to collect excess moisture. As a rule, they are located close to each other.

Do-it-yourself drainage around the foundation

If you have certain skills, you can do the installation of foundation drainage yourself. First of all, it is necessary to carry out the following work:

dig out the foundation of the entire structure. The soil is removed to the side - it will be needed when completing the work to dig the trenches back in;
then they dig trenches that are located below the level of the base of the house;
the foundation should then be left to dry naturally in the open air. If the ambient humidity is too high, you can achieve the result using a gas burner. After this, the remnants of the old waterproofing are removed;
drainage installation requires treating the outer part of the building’s foundation with a special primer, which consists of a mixture of bitumen and kerosene;
bitumen mastic is applied, on which geotextiles or reinforced mesh are then installed;
After 24 hours, re-coat with mastic.

Gravel is poured into the finished trench, each layer of which is leveled with a hand roller. After this, the concrete can be poured. After completing the preparatory stage, it is necessary to begin arranging the drainage system. The process includes steps:

digging a ditch around the building with a depth below the level of the base of the house and a width of at least 35 centimeters, the distance from the building is one meter;
then sand is poured into it, taking into account the slope towards the wells;
the ditch is lined with geotextiles, securing the edges of the fabric with pins;
then pour a layer of gravel no more than 10 centimeters high;
plastic pipes with perforations, wrapped in geotextile, are laid in trenches and covered with gravel;
the edges of the geofabric are combined and fastened to each other;
inspection wells are placed in the corners of the building;
water collectors are located below the base of the building, but above the groundwater level;
technical pits are completely covered with geotextile;
containers with holes in the bottom used to collect water are filled with gravel and then covered with a layer of soil;
then, depending on the project, the pump is connected;
at the final stage, the system is completely covered with the remaining soil.

If installed correctly, drainage under the foundation will not require special care. It is enough to clean the pipes from time to time as they become clogged. This procedure is carried out using a pump to pump out excess water. To protect against freezing, layers of foam plastic about 3 centimeters thick are placed under the blind area. A high-quality drainage system will extend the life of the building and protect against a number of unpleasant consequences of flooding a private home or nearby areas.

Cost of work

Name of works			price, rub.
*Cost of foundation ring drainage*
Depth up to 1 m.
Depth up to 2 m.
Depth up to 3 m.

Cost of wall foundation drainage
Depth up to 1 m.
Depth up to 2 m.
Depth up to 3 m.
Construction of a collector well

* The prices indicated on the website are not a public offer (Article 435 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation) and are for informational purposes only
Pricing also depends on the volume, distance of the object and other factors.

If the foundation of the house is constantly located in wet soil, this will lead to unpleasant consequences - the walls may sag, windows and doors may warp. Fungus may also appear on the interior walls. This can be avoided if you arrange foundation drainage yourself.

Before you begin the actual drainage work, you must first thoroughly waterproof the foundation. In order to carry out this work, it is necessary to prepare the foundation.

A ditch is dug around the perimeter of the house in order to reach the foundation of the house. The excavated soil is deposited next to the trench so that it can be filled back in after the work is completed. The width of the trench should be approximately 1 m.
After excavation work and exposure of the foundation, it is carefully cleaned of soil, and the old waterproofing is also removed.
Then the foundation needs to be thoroughly dried. To do this, you can use different types of hair dryers and burners, but it will be best if the foundation dries in natural conditions.
To prevent anyone from accidentally falling into the hole, the trench is fenced around the entire perimeter and illuminated at night.

Depending on the type, foundation waterproofing can be: roll, pasted, coated and penetrating. The type of waterproofing chosen will dictate the principle of drainage design.

In practice, the most popular is adhesive waterproofing, in which the foundation is treated with bitumen mastic. This method ensures long service life and reliability. When draining the foundation, such waterproofing is combined with gravel material, which is used to fill the trench under the drainage.
Waterproofing plays an important role, but even without it, a gravel backfill will allow water to pass through well and drain it away from the foundation. This means that the gravel layer for drainage plays a significantly larger role than treating the foundation with bitumen. The gravel is very important because it will allow water to seep through to the perforated pipes. In addition, this material additionally ventilates the foundation.
The wrapping material called geotextile is of great importance in the drainage system. This material should be a completely wrapped layer of gravel to avoid silting and clogging of fine particles. In the absence of geotextiles, the drainage system will quickly cease to fully perform its functions.
Gravel has another important advantage over other types of drainage material - it does not shrink. This positive quality can be used the next time a blind area is installed, so you don’t have to wait long for the filter material to completely settle down. Gravel does not shrink yet because each layer of it is carefully compacted. For better compaction of the filter bed, a special machine is used.

Although gravel is expensive, it is still advisable to give preference to it. You can, of course, use cheaper material, but as they say, “the miser pays twice.” This means that with cheap filter material, the longevity of the system cannot be guaranteed and, most likely, the drainage system will have to be redone in a short time. With gravel backfilling, durability and reliability are guaranteed.

Other materials have less influence on the quality of operation of the drainage system, but their choice should still be given due attention. Drainage perforated pipes must be of high quality. Drainage must be protected with geotextile material. Plastic manholes and pumping equipment must also be high-quality and reliable.

A ditch has been dug around the perimeter of the house’s foundation, the waterproofing has been done - drainage can be installed around the foundation.

A distance of 1 m is measured from the foundation and a recess is made along the contour around the house with a mark slightly below the foundation. The width of the recess should be based on the diameter of the perforated pipe of 110 mm and the backfill on both sides of the drainage product measuring 10 cm. The total is about 30 cm.
Then the bottom is covered with sand, the layer of which should be up to 10 cm thick. In this case, the slope per 1 m should be 1 cm.
Geotextile material, the width of which is 1.3 m, is laid on a layer of sand. The edges of the geotextile are fixed at the top. The material is covered with a 10-centimeter layer of gravel.
Drainage pipes with a perforated surface are laid with a known slope.
Another portion of gravel is poured over the pipe, which should cover the drainage product by 10 cm.
The gravel is covered with geotextile on top, the edges of which are fastened together.
The pipe is taken away from the building at a distance of at least 5 m and a water intake is installed in this place. It should lie 1 m below the pipe, and not reach groundwater.
Geotextiles are placed in the water intake and a plastic container with holes made in the bottom is installed in it.
The sides of the container are sprinkled first with gravel and then with soil.

The installation of the drainage system is completed by installing an inspection well.

Video

This video will not only help you properly drain the foundation, but will also tell you about waterproofing:

Foundation drainage - performing this operation will increase the life of the foundation. After all, with constant exposure to groundwater, concrete will deteriorate. The proximity of water and the absence of a drainage system will lead to moisture penetration into the basement, and if the integrity of the foundation blocks is damaged, it will lead to the destruction of the building.

Therefore, if the groundwater level on the site is above 1.5 m, even with dry soils, equip the building with a drainage system.

Basic functions and justification for having a water drainage system

The main task of any type of system is to drain water from the foundation of the house and protect the support of the entire building from the effects of groundwater and frost radiation. This method eliminates flooding of the basement or ground floor, waterlogging or flooding of the adjacent area.

Protection from high-lying moisture, basic construction work, along with waterproofing, allow you to increase the trouble-free service life of a private home. If even a small amount of water is found in the basement, work to drain the water should begin immediately.

Often, specialists are asked about the need to perform this work in low-lying aquifers and dry soils, in which the likelihood of frost radiation is low. Each individual case requires an individual decision. Foundation drainage is absolutely required in the following cases:

when the basement is deepened below the level of water passage;
required to complete work in such a basement, even if the distance to the riverbed is insufficient. If the elevation is less than 50 cm, it is necessary to drain the foundation of the house;
if the building is built on clay or loam, mandatory drainage is required, the occurrence of aquifers is not important;
when constructing a technical underground at a depth of more than 1.5 m, in the conditions of the main clay soil, work is required;
when the building is in the area where water enters from capillaries.

Important! Drainage around the foundation will be made more reliably when it is calculated and manufactured when pouring the foundation. Creating a high-quality spillway at the zero stage of construction will avoid the appearance of water in the basement.

Types of drainage devices

When buying a private house, you should definitely find out whether the cottage is equipped with a drainage system. Almost every building located in most regions of the country needs to be equipped with a system. If home improvement is required, it is better to turn to professionals to solve the problem. Water drainage work is carried out in 2 ways.

Trench diagram

The installation of a drainage system for drainage from the foundations of buildings using this method involves laying a drainage pipeline in a trench that runs around the foundation of the house. The pipe is made with perforated walls. Water enters the perforation and is discharged into the main storm sewer pipeline. This method lightens the load on the waterproofing layer and prevents moisture penetration more effectively.

When carrying out work, you should not save money and install a single pipeline for stormwater and drainage. If the pipe is clogged, water can penetrate to the foundation and inside the building. In places with clayey soil, the pipeline should be installed at a distance from the wall of no more than 3 m. Such a clay barrier will serve as an additional barrier for groundwater and can reliably drain a shallow foundation.

The depth of the pipeline, according to the recommendations of experts, should be located under the foundation at a distance of at least 50 cm. This feature reduces the water pressure on the foundation blocks. The pipeline is laid with a slight slope towards the main storm drain. It is necessary to arrange drainage around the house before cleaning and landscaping the garden area.

Wall drainage device

If groundwater is close to the surface and drainage of a slab foundation is required, it is better to do it while pouring concrete. This saves time on excavation work. In this case, the wall method is the best option.

If there is a basement in the building, it is better to use this method of protection against water. In terms of design features, it is similar to the previous method, but requires a large amount of work to be performed. The width of the trench should correspond to the size of the base itself.

The foundation drainage system and pipeline system are carried out in a ring pattern, at a distance of no more than 1 m from the foundation blocks. Perforated pipes are used. They are laid with a slope towards the main pipeline.
An area can be equipped with such a system for preventive purposes and to protect it from rainwater during prolonged downpours.

Widely used when the building has basements and other underground spaces. More reliable work will occur if bitumen mastic is used in parallel to waterproof the foundation. This method will prevent the impact of water on the base or basement of the house. Pile foundation drainage works reliably when work is carried out in this way.

Reservoir drainage device

Reservoir drainage under the foundation slab is one of the varieties that serves to protect the building in particularly difficult conditions, when the application of the above protection methods is not enough. The most common areas of its use are:

places with availability passage of groundwater under pressure;
protection required when locating premises through which aquifers pass;
in cases where it is necessary to make a foundation in conditions of layered or clayey soils;

Such protection is required only in exceptional cases and is used quite rarely. Regardless of the level of complexity and type of drainage, it is better to do the work at the stage of building a house, but even on a finished house, the drainage of the foundation can be done by the homeowner himself.

Step-by-step instructions for carrying out work

Whatever foundation does not require protection, installation is carried out according to a certain algorithm, taking into account the implementation of basic operations.

Preparatory work

To do this, you need to carry out work taking into account certain rules and in a certain sequence:

along the perimeter of the building The foundation is dug up and needs to be cleared of old waterproofing. The width of the trench must exceed the diameter of the pipes by at least 200 mm. The slope angle to the main well should not exceed 80. A slight expansion is made at the corners to install a rotary well;
now required dry the blocks using a hair dryer or heat gun. When working in summer, it can be left to dry for several hours;
After the surfaces have dried, a layer of waterproofing is applied. The best solution would be to use bitumen mastic.

Different foundations require different preparation schemes. For a house on a shallow foundation, you will need to make a trench no deeper than the main blocks. Wells will be installed at the corners of the building to contain water containers.

If groundwater is close and the house is built on a pile foundation, you will need to dig a trench at a distance of at least 3 meters from the piles, sand and gravel filling is made at the bottom. Gravel can be replaced with waste bricks. After compacting the backfill, you can begin the main stage of work.

To protect the strip foundation, you will need to dig a trench deeper than the base of the building. Then the work is carried out in the same way. This protection will prevent water from seeping into the foundation. In any case, before filling the trench with sand and gravel, geotextiles are laid, and then a cushion is made for the perforated pipes.

Completion of the main stage of work

In order to protect the foundation, you need reliable and high-quality drainage. Therefore, work should be taken responsibly. When dehumidifying a house with your own hands, you should prepare tools and materials for work. For this you will need:

a certain amount of special drainage pipes with a diameter of no more than 300 mm. Their number depends on the size of the private house. Such products are produced from various materials, with full and partial perforation.
Advice! Finished pipes will require significant costs. This problem can be solved by purchasing simple PVC pipes and drilling holes in them according to the pattern.
you can if you wish use broken bricks left after construction or ready-made crushed stone.
sand for pillows;
for the manufacture of For the absorption well, you can use a simple barrel, preferably a plastic one. It is better to use a large barrel, but this will require digging a larger hole;
will need to be purchased wells for making pipeline turns;
mounting clamps pipeline;
geotextile fabric.

Do-it-yourself foundation drainage takes place in several stages:

on the made layer geotextile and sand and gravel cushion, drainage pipes are installed. They are fastened together with special copper clamps.
at corners rotary wells are installed. With their help, pipes will be cleared of blockages in the future;
then pipeline must be taken to a large absorption well. Its height is at least 700 mm, but this value depends on the barrel purchased. Geotextiles are laid along the entire perimeter of the prepared pit, then backfilling is done and the barrel is mounted. First, holes should be drilled in the walls in increments of about 80 mm. In the barrel, according to the markings, a hole should be made for the drainage pipe;
pipeline finally mounted to rotary wells and led to the absorption device;
Carefully fall asleep pipeline and gaps between the walls of the wells with a mixture of sand and crushed stone. Filling should be done so that the geotextile panels are securely connected to each other with large overlaps.
further used the following scheme of work. Having wrapped the sheets of material, we lay plant branches on top of it. They will serve as protection against breakage when digging a trench and will increase the rigidity of the structure;
fall asleep completely soil of trenches and voids between the walls of wells.

Now you need to install a water pump in the absorption well. It is used to pump out water. This completes the process of installing a drainage system for the house. For greater clarity on how to make a security system with your own hands, you can watch videos on the Internet.

In conclusion, it needs to be noted.

Even if you make a reliable system for draining water from the foundation, but do not perform high-quality waterproofing, you risk seeing a large amount of water in the basement of the house. The best solution to the problem would be bitumen mastic for the work. It is important for every home owner to remember the basic rule.

You should not make a water drainage system if the site is located in a dry place and the water cannot rise to critical levels during floods or heavy rains. But for prevention, surgery can be performed under these conditions. In all other cases, it is imperative and unconditional to drain the house and, if desired, the entire site.

Excessive amounts of water negatively affect the quality and durability of foundation support structures, lead to flooding of basements and create significant inconvenience during various landscaping activities. In view of this, the construction of a drainage system is a mandatory stage in the development of any site.

The main function of drainage is to protect the supporting structure of a building from the harmful effects created by groundwater. The drainage system reduces the likelihood of basement flooding and reduces the risk of waterlogging and flooding of the area.

By neglecting the drainage system, the owner risks significantly increasing the likelihood of a decrease in the service life of the supporting structure due to waterlogging and exposure to frost heaving forces.

Water in the basement is a consequence of errors in design and construction, lack of a drainage system

Many developers are interested in: is it necessary to install drainage if the groundwater is quite low and the soil on the site is not subject to frost heaving to a high degree? The answer is: each case is subject to individual consideration. The unconditional need to create drainage arises in the following situations:

if the basements are buried below the groundwater level or if the floor of the basement rises above the groundwater level by less than half a meter;
if the basement is located in clay or loamy soil. The level of groundwater passage in this case does not matter;
if technical undergrounds in an area with clay/loamy soil are buried more than 150 cm in relation to the horizon. The peculiarities of the passage of groundwater in this case are not taken into account;
if the building is located in a zone of capillary humidification.

The conclusion from the above is as follows:

a drainage system is needed if groundwater is critically close to the supporting structure of the building, or if it runs so high that the site area looks swampy and almost nothing grows on it;
a drainage system is not needed if the site is dry and the groundwater level does not rise to a critical level during the rainy season and flood periods.

The best option for a drainage system

There are several types of drainage systems. It is advisable to use 2 of them in combination with the foundation structure.

First, ring drainage.

This system is designed to protect basements from groundwater flooding. It is based on tubular drains laid along the contour of the supporting structure.

The operating principle of ring drainage is based on reducing the groundwater level in the protected circuit, thereby reducing the risk of flooding of underground structures. The depth of the pipes in relation to groundwater directly determines how much the level of the latter will drop. Laying of ring drains is carried out at a certain distance from the building (usually 1.5 - 3 m from the foundation), which makes it possible to arrange drainage after the construction of the building.

Secondly, reservoir drainage. The disadvantage of such a system compared to the above-considered option is the possibility of its arrangement only at the stage of construction of the building, because it is installed under the base of the foundation at the level of the sand backfill. Excess moisture through perforated drains (pipes) enters the receiving well, from there to a place chosen by the developer (sewage system, reservoir, some depression in the terrain of the site, or it is pumped out and used for economic needs, for example, for watering plantings).

When arranging reservoir drainage, simultaneous protection of the foundation structure from groundwater and capillary moisture is ensured. Reservoir drainage is especially effective when constructing buildings with basements on low-permeability soils. Such drainage is also appropriate if the site is located in an area with a thick aquifer. Reservoir drainage must be installed if the building is located in a zone of capillary soil moisture and has a basement.

Reservoir drainage – innovations

To ensure that the drainage of your home is as efficient as possible, we will tell you about the procedure for arranging both the ring and stratum systems. If the building has already been erected, you will have to be content with only the ring drainage - no one will destroy the building for the sake of constructing a reservoir drainage system.

Prices for drainage pipes

drainage pipes

What does drainage consist of?

The main elements of the drainage system are pipes, inspection wells and a well for collecting water. The installation of the latter is carried out if the building is located on a flat area in the absence of the possibility of draining water outside the site.

Drainage pipes

Previously, mainly metal, asbestos-cement and ceramic pipes were used to equip the drainage system.

Such products were used solely due to their wide availability and had a number of disadvantages, including:

frequent blockages and siltation;
relatively short service life;
the need to independently prepare holes for water inlet.

A much more effective, convenient and modern solution is plastic pipes - we recommend using them when arranging a drainage system.

The drainage system is best assembled from perforated pipes with stiffeners that ensure uniform distribution of loads on the products.

The advantages of plastic pipes are obvious:

long service life;
high strength indicators. The presence of stiffeners, as noted, contributes to the uniform distribution of loads, which allows the pipes to effectively withstand the resulting pressure;
resistance to rotting, corrosion and various adverse effects;
ease of transportation and installation. Plastic pipes for drainage installations weigh little and bend well, which allows them to be installed without the use of additional compensating elements;
ability to self-clean. The internal walls of the pipes in question, unlike the external ones, are smooth, which eliminates the possibility of accumulation of contaminants;
optimal ratio of cost and quality indicators.

Plastic pipes are the best ratio of quality and price

Plastic pipes can be laid at a depth of up to 5-6 m, i.e. with their help it will be possible to arrange drainage for any foundation.

Helpful advice! Perforated plastic pipes with pre-installed filters are available for sale. When choosing these, it is necessary, first of all, to focus on the characteristics of the soil on the site. Recommendations are given in the table.

Table. Selection of filters depending on soil type

Soil type	Recommendations for arranging filtration
	Perforated plastic pipes are suitable for arranging drainage in such soils without the use of additional filters.
	In this case, filtration is provided by the forces of geotextiles and crushed stone backfill.
	In this case, it is possible to arrange drainage without using additional filter material, but after laying the pipes, a minimum of 20 cm of crushed stone backfill must be carried out.
	In order to prevent siltation of pipes, geotextile filtration is installed.

When choosing the diameter of drainage pipes, they are guided, first of all, by the degree of soil moisture. According to the technology, an extensive hydrological calculation must be performed, but in practice, in the conditions of private land, everything is usually limited to standard values, namely:

for high water – 10-centimeter pipes;
for ring and reservoir drainage - 16.5 cm pipes.

The depth of laying pipes is determined in accordance with the level of soil freezing - drainage should be below this point.

When arranging a drainage system, 2 types of wells are used.

Firstly, inspection (revision) wells. Installed to monitor the condition of the system and clean it from blockages. When these form, a pump is lowered into the well and the pipe is cleaned. Installation of inspection wells is carried out at the intersection of pipes, at every 2nd turn and in 50-meter increments on straight pipelines. The standard diameter of such products is 60 cm. Additionally, inspection wells take on the function of sand catchers. To do this, the lower part of the structure is equipped with a special catching mesh, and the product is installed so that its bottom is 10-30 cm deeper than the pipes (the specific value is selected in accordance with the height of the outlet fittings for connecting the pipes).

Secondly, a collector well. It is the final reservoir of the system - this is where the collected moisture flows. The sealed design is equipped with a solid bottom. The collected water can be used for irrigation or taken to a pond, ravine or other suitable place.

If the land plot is located on sandy soil or other soil with good water permeability, instead of a collector well, you can install the so-called. filter well. This container does not have a solid bottom. Instead, a layer of permeable material, usually crushed stone, is backfilled. The water entering the filter well through the pipes of the drainage system is discharged into the ground.

Additionally, the system includes plugs, adapters, fittings and elbows. The connection is made through the sealing gaskets included in the kit. The range of available components is shown in the photo.

Prices for drainage wells

drainage well

Preliminary calculations

When arranging a private drainage system on your own, calculations come down to determining the depth of pipes and wells, as well as the optimal slopes of pipelines.

The depth of laying the drainage is determined by the depth of the supporting foundation. The principle is simple: drainage is installed 0.3-0.5 m below the foundation base.

The slope of the pipelines must be such that water moving through them can be drained quickly and efficiently into the receiving tank. Traditionally, a slope of 20 mm per linear meter is maintained.

First find the highest and lowest points of the site. In the first, you will arrange a water collection area (most often this is the highest corner of the house), in the second, you will install a receiving well. Thanks to the natural slope, there is no need to buy additional pumping equipment for pumping groundwater.

For a better understanding of the situation, check out the example of calculating foundation drainage.

An example of a specification for a 6x6 m rectangular bathhouse, drainage wells - 3 pcs.

building dimensions – 9x6 m;
the distance between the collector well and the building is 10 m;
the protrusion of the upper edge of the well above the ground is 0.3 m.

To determine the length of each individual section of the trench to the water intake, you need to add up the lengths of the sides of the building. In this example, the result will be 15 m. The total distance to the receiving well in this case will be 25 cm. The total slope of the system under consideration is 0.5 m (a couple of centimeters for each of the resulting 25 m).

Important! The distance between the foundation and the elements of the drainage system must be at least 3 m. Backfilling of sand and gravel is carried out at a depth below the freezing level of the soil.

Do-it-yourself reservoir drainage

The main function of such a system, as noted, is to protect the foundation from the harmful effects of groundwater and basements from flooding. Formative drainage can be used as an independent means or as part of a comprehensive drainage system. In the second case, pipelines are used to connect reservoir drainage with external drains.

The minimum thickness of the reservoir drainage layer installed under the foundation, taking into account backfill, is 30 cm. The dimensions are selected so that the perimeter of the drainage system extends 20-30 cm beyond the perimeter of the building.

Important note! In practice, a special need for the use of reservoir drainage arises only when building on clay soil. In other cases, a ring drainage system is usually more than sufficient.

Determine the depth of the pipes so that they are located below the clay ball of soil.

Important note! Information on preliminary marking, excavation and subsequent arrangement of the foundation after laying drainage pipes is not provided, because all this was previously discussed in detail in the corresponding publication on our website.

The work on arranging the reservoir drainage system comes down to the following.

Having prepared the foundation pit for the supporting structure, you further deepen it by at least 20 cm. At this stage, as noted, you need to remove a wider layer of soil compared to where the foundation passes.
Next, the bottom of the resulting pit is covered with a 20-centimeter layer of crushed stone. The backfill is carefully compacted and leveled in compliance with the slope (in this case, it is advisable to make a 3-centimeter slope for each meter of the site) in the direction of the receiving well.
Next, flexible perforated plastic pipes with stiffeners are laid along the perimeter of the crushed stone base. The ends of the pipes are led to the location of the receiving well.

Further arrangement of the foundation is carried out in the standard manner.

As a result, moisture penetrating under the foundation base will penetrate into the pipes through perforated holes and be discharged through them into the receiving well.

As for the receiving well, in the case of reservoir drainage it is advisable to use its filtration variety. The dimensions of finished round filtration wells are on average 150 cm, rectangular - 280x200 cm. Height - more than 200 cm.

For a well, preferably at a distance of at least 3 m from the future foundation, a hole is dug of such a depth that the bottom of the receiving tank is located at least 1 m below the entry point of the drainage pipe. This is ideal. In practice, they make sure that there is at least a 1 m difference between the groundwater and the bottom of the well. Compliance with these rules will ensure the most efficient and correct operation of the drainage system.

The length and width of the pit are selected so that after installing the well, at least 200-300 mm of free space remains on each side. The well is installed in a hole. The bottom of the tank is covered with a 30-centimeter layer of crushed stone and compacted.

The space between the container and the walls of the pit is also filled with crushed stone to a height of at least 1 m. The drainage system pipes are inserted into the tank. From above, all this is covered with geotextiles and covered layer by layer with sand and soil with careful compaction.

Water from the well will be drained into the deeper layers of the soil.

Helpful advice! Do not fill the well completely - leave the possibility of carrying out inspection work. To do this, bring the backfill to the top edge of the well, install the seal, neck and hatch from the kit.

Important! To install the well, you will have to involve special equipment and/or several assistants - it is unlikely that you will be able to cope with a two-meter volumetric structure on your own.

DIY ring drainage

Such a system can be installed after the construction of the building is completed. Recommendations regarding setbacks between structures and drainage remain the same.

There are a couple of additional important notes to make first.

Firstly, regarding the depth of the drainage pipes. The dependence is simple: the pipes are laid half a meter below the foundation of the building.

Secondly, regarding the storage well. In the case of a collector system, it is more advisable to use a type with a solid bottom. The installation procedure differs from the instructions for the filtration well only in the absence of bottom crushed stone backfill.

Inspection wells are installed on the same principle as storage wells. Only the dimensional characteristics of the products change (selected depending on the conditions of a particular situation) and the location of the drainage pipes.

Thirdly, regarding the size of the trench. To determine the optimal indicator, add 200-300 mm to the outer diameter of the pipe. The remaining free space will be filled with crushed stone. The cross-section of the trench can be rectangular or trapezoidal - whichever is more convenient for you. Stones, bricks and other elements that could damage the integrity of the pipes being laid must be removed from the bottom of the pits.

The operating procedure is presented in the table.

For your own convenience, you can make markings in advance. To do this, step back 3 m from the walls of the house (ideally. In the absence of sufficient space, many developers reduce this figure to 1 m, be guided by the situation), drive a metal or wooden peg into the ground, step back from it further to the width of the trench, drive a second peg, then install similar landmarks opposite, at the opposite corner of the building. Stretch ropes between the pegs.

Table. DIY ring drainage

Work stage	Description
	Dig trenches around the perimeter of the foundation. Do not forget about the slope of the bottom - maintain it within 1-3 cm per meter. As a result, the highest point of the drainage system should be located lower in relation to the lowest point of the supporting structure.
	Fill the bottom of the trench with a 10 cm layer of river sand. Compact thoroughly, maintaining the specified slope. Lay a layer of geotextile on top of the sand (if the soil is clean sandy) of such a width that you can subsequently cover the pipes, taking into account the thickness of the crushed stone backfill. Fill a 10-centimeter layer of crushed stone on top of the geotextile, remembering to maintain the specified slope. Lay the pipes on the crushed stone. The image shows ordinary orange sewer pipes - here the developer made the holes himself. It is more convenient to use the initially recommended flexible perforated pipes, but if you don’t have them, you can go the route of the developer from the photo. Maintain a 5-6 cm step between the holes. Recommendations for connecting pipes were given earlier.
	Place a 15-20 cm layer of crushed stone on top of the pipe. Wrap the geotextile with an overlap. As a result, the pipes will be surrounded on all sides by crushed stone, separated from the soil and sand by geotextiles.

Finally, all that remains is to install inspection and storage wells, connect pipes to them and backfill the soil.

Typical mistakes when installing foundation drainage

Check out the list of the most popular mistakes made by private developers, avoid them during the work process, and the drainage of your foundation will serve for as long as possible without any complaints.

First of all, don’t put your hopes on a wall foundation. Its functions are reduced primarily to the removal of atmospheric precipitation, rather than groundwater.
Secondly, do not use geotextiles as a filter if your site is located on loam or sandy loam - after a few years the filter will clog, which will worsen the efficiency of the drainage system.
Thirdly, when controlling the angle of inclination of trenches for laying pipes, if possible, work with a theodolite and a level instead of a level - this is more correct.
Fourthly, use drainage wells instead of storm water wells. The latter are designed to collect precipitation.
Fifthly, do not place all your hopes on the drainage system alone. To ensure the most effective removal of moisture from the supporting structure and structure, a drainage system must be installed in the direction of the storm drain.

This point deserves separate consideration. First of all, remember: drainage and storm water should not be connected to the same pipe. In practice, with this solution, the effect will be the opposite of what was expected - during the rainy season, the drainage will not cope with the removal of moisture. As a result, the soil near the supporting structure will become waterlogged; in winter, excess moisture will freeze and the soil will swell. This can lead to deformation of the blind area, movement of the supporting structure and its further destruction.

To make a storm drain, you can use ordinary orange sewer pipes. The system includes water receiving trays. Water is discharged into a storage well. Detailed instructions for arranging a storm drain are not provided, because This is a topic for a separate voluminous publication not related to the drainage system.