continued from page 8 vents, chimneys, rain gutters, snow piling alongside the house and cement seams or cracks. Tim Evens, owner of Tim Evens’ Carpet Care & Restoration, said that home owners want to take care of water problems sooner rather than later, but it’s probably best to hold off on any extensive remodeling until they are sure that the problem is fixed. Heading off the flood waters The best way to insure against flooding is for the builder to get the drainage right before the house is built, said Brad Lotton, owner of Lotton Construction in Havre. “It doesn’t cost much to put that drain tile in when you’re building a house,” he said. “Whether you think you need it or not, I would still put the pipe in.” For houses that are already constructed he recommended assessing the home for factors that contribute to flooding and seepage. This will tell home owners where problems are occurring, or are likely to occur, and how what to change through construction efforts. Make sure that the house has what is called “positive drainage,” which is ground sloping away from the house on all sides, including the driveway, he said, adding that people should be aware of the soil conditions at their home and in the surrounding area. Some older homes were built before it became standard practice to put gravel around the foundation, he said, and without gravel, the water doesn’t have a way to flow freely away from the house. Homes in low-lying areas, especially around water sources like a river or a creek, will generally have a high water table, meaning that water sits, runs or accumulates not far under the surface of the ground and wet conditions will cause that water to rise. On the other hand, along the Hi-Line some areas on higher ground have the same water table issues, while other hilltop areas are prone to developing natural springs in years when the ground gets fully saturated, he said. Also, home owners who have lived in an area for a long time need to be aware of changes to the area such as more neighboring homes being H AV R E D A I LY N E W S
Courtesy Photo Water runs over 1st Street in Havre during the August 2013 rain storm.
built, more automatic sprinkler systems being installed, changes to road bed heights and areas of trees being removed or any other major changes to vegetation, even fire, because bare or damaged ground doesn’t soak up as much water. Home owners who are having problems with flooding or seepage coming through their foundation will most likely need to bring in large equipment and a contractor to help fix the problem. This is where things get dirty To retrofit flood deterrent measures like foundation water sealant, drain tiles and a sump pump requires heavy equipment and a contractor. Once the foundation is exposed using equipment like a backhoe or excavator, water sealant can be applied to the cement. Tar-based sealant is meant as a water inhibitor, but neoprene sealants will make the foundation waterproof, said Lotton, adding that even wood basements can be made waterproof glue-on sealants. Sealant is not the only solution to water problems, or even the best, as Lotton pointed out that putting in drain tiles, which are actually large, perforated pipes, and gravel are relatively inexpensive once the footings are already exposed. Smith also warned against relying solely on water sealants to fix water problems. “If you waterproof something and something moves or changes or shrinks or whatever, your waterproofing no longer works and damage will result,” he said. “The only surefire solution to dealing with water,” he added, “is giving water an easier place to go that is away from your living space, and that is done with drainage basins or drain tile around the foundation of your home.” Drain tiles give the water a place to go that is easier to run into than the tight seams and cracks of a foundation. The drain tiles, which are actually perforated pipes made of high density polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride are placed in a bed of gravel one foot below the bottom of the founcontinued on page 10
Havre Daily News/Lindsay Brown Exterior sump pump system.
October 2013
LIVING MAGAZINE 9