Chapter 27 Exercises: Foundation Waterproofing

These exercises build practical diagnostic and evaluation skills. Most can be completed in a single afternoon with no special tools.

Exercise 1: Basement Water Journal

Skill: Diagnostic observation Time required: 2–4 weeks (observation), 30 minutes (documentation)

Set up a simple log for your basement (or a basement you have access to). Over the next significant rain event or two, record: - Date and time of water appearance (or absence) - Rainfall amount (check a weather app for your zip code) - Exact location of any moisture, seepage, or staining - Whether the moisture appeared during rain, after rain, or independent of rain - Any correlating factors: temperature change, snow melt, dry spell

After at least two observation periods, analyze your data. Which of the three water pathways (surface water, subsurface/hydrostatic, condensation) best matches your pattern? Write a one-page summary of your findings and the corresponding solution category.

Deliverable: Completed water journal and one-page analysis.

Exercise 2: Exterior Water Pathway Survey

Skill: Site assessment Time required: 1–2 hours

Walk the perimeter of your house on a dry day. Document the following (photograph if possible):

  1. Gutters: Are they clear? Do any sections sag, creating low points where water collects and overflows toward the foundation?
  2. Downspouts: Where does each one terminate? Is water discharged within 2 feet of the foundation? Does the discharge area drain away from the house or pool against it?
  3. Grade: Place a 4-foot level on the ground at several points around the foundation. Which directions drain toward the house? What is the approximate slope (inches per foot)?
  4. Paved surfaces: Do any driveways, patios, or walkways slope toward the foundation?
  5. Window wells: Are they present? Do they have covers? Is debris visible in the well?

Create a hand-drawn site plan marking each observation. Prioritize the top three inexpensive corrective actions.

Deliverable: Site sketch with annotations and prioritized action list.

Exercise 3: The Plastic Sheeting Condensation Test

Skill: Diagnostic testing Time required: 10 minutes setup, 48-hour wait, 5 minutes reading

If you have basement walls that appear damp, perform the condensation diagnostic test described in Section 27.1:

  1. Cut a 12-inch square of 4–6 mil plastic sheeting
  2. Tape all four edges firmly to the damp wall section using duct tape, creating an airtight seal
  3. Leave in place for 48 hours
  4. Remove the plastic and examine both sides

If moisture has formed on the room-facing side of the plastic: condensation. If moisture has formed on the wall-facing side (between plastic and wall): water coming through the wall from outside.

Document your result and explain what solution category is appropriate for the finding. If the test reveals outside water intrusion, revisit your water journal from Exercise 1 for timing clues about the source.

Deliverable: Written result with interpretation and recommended next step.

Exercise 4: Sump Pump Inspection and Test

Skill: Equipment testing and maintenance Time required: 30–45 minutes

If your home has a sump pump, perform the following inspection:

  1. Visual check: Remove the lid and inspect the pit. Is there debris? Is the float switch positioned to move freely?
  2. Float test: Slowly pour a 5-gallon bucket of water into the pit. The pump should activate before the water level reaches 12 inches below the top of the pit. Does it activate? Does it pump down fully and shut off?
  3. Discharge check: Follow the discharge pipe to its exterior terminus. Is it clear? Is water discharged at least 10 feet from the foundation? Does the discharge area slope away from the house?
  4. Check valve: The pipe leaving the pump should have a check valve (one-way valve). Can you identify it? Is it functioning (no water draining back after the pump shuts off)?
  5. Age: When was the pump installed? (May be printed on the pump body or in a basement binder if previous owners left one.) Is it within the 7–10 year normal service life?
  6. Backup: Does a battery backup exist? When was the battery last replaced?

Deliverable: Written inspection report with any items requiring attention.

Exercise 5: Get Two Waterproofing Contractor Bids

Skill: Consumer literacy and proposal evaluation Time required: 2–4 hours across multiple visits

If you have any water intrusion issue — even minor — call two contractors for inspections. If your basement is dry, this is still valuable as a learning exercise; present your findings from Exercise 1 and ask how they would address them.

For each contractor, evaluate: - Did they ask about history and timing? Or skip straight to proposing? - Did they walk the exterior and look at gutters/grading? - Did they suggest any inexpensive surface-drainage improvements before proposing major systems? - Is the scope of work specific (pipe type, membrane manufacturer, pump model) or vague? - What is the warranty, and does it transfer to a new buyer? - Were there high-pressure tactics (expiring discounts, urgency)?

Score each contractor 1–5 on professionalism and specificity of diagnosis. Write a one-page comparison.

Deliverable: Contractor comparison write-up.

Exercise 6: Window Well Maintenance

Skill: Preventive maintenance Time required: 30–60 minutes per well

For any window wells at your property:

  1. Remove any debris (leaves, dirt, insect nests)
  2. Check that the top of the well extends at least 4 inches above the surrounding grade
  3. Check the gravel drain at the bottom — is it silted over? Press your hand into it — it should be loose stone, not compacted fines
  4. Check that the surrounding grade drains away from the well (water should not flow into the well from outside)
  5. Measure the well dimensions — does it meet the egress requirements for the window type? (Sleeping rooms require minimum 9 sq ft clear area, 36 inches wide, 36 inches from wall)
  6. If no cover exists, measure and price an appropriate cover from a hardware store

Deliverable: Condition report for each well, with any remediation completed or noted.

Exercise 7: Grading Correction — Small Scale

Skill: Basic site work Time required: 2–4 hours

Identify one area around your foundation where the soil slopes toward the house (found in Exercise 2). For a section of 10–15 linear feet:

  1. Purchase clean topsoil or compactable fill (not gravel, which doesn't hold slope) — roughly 1/3 yard for a 10-foot section
  2. Add soil to the area, building a slope away from the foundation of at least 1 inch per foot for the first 6 feet
  3. Tamp or pack the soil, ensuring it won't erode immediately
  4. If landscaping is present, work around it; plant groundcover or mulch to prevent erosion

Photograph before and after. Observe this area during the next significant rain to verify water behavior has changed.

Deliverable: Before/after photos and rain event observation note.

Exercise 8: Crack Assessment and Documentation

Skill: Foundation observation Time required: 45–60 minutes

Walk your basement (or the accessible portions of your foundation) and document every crack you observe:

For each crack, note: - Location (which wall, distance from corner, height on wall) - Orientation (vertical, horizontal, diagonal at what angle) - Width (use a credit card at 1mm as a reference; a quarter is approximately 1.75mm thick) - Length - Any staining, efflorescence, or active moisture at the crack

Map the cracks on a simple basement sketch. Using the crack assessment guidance in Section 27.5, classify each: - Hairline shrinkage crack (no action needed, but can be sealed) - Moderate crack warranting monitoring - Crack requiring professional evaluation (horizontal, wide, actively moving)

Deliverable: Crack map with classifications and recommended actions.

Exercise 9: Calculate Your Surface Water Load

Skill: Applied math and site planning Time required: 45–60 minutes

Calculate the volume of water your roof sheds in a 1-inch rainstorm and compare it to where that water ends up:

  1. Find the footprint area of your home (length × width of the building, in square feet)
  2. A 1-inch rain event produces 0.62 gallons per square foot of collection area
  3. Calculate total roof runoff: footprint area × 0.62 = gallons per 1-inch storm
  4. Count your downspouts. How many gallons does each one discharge per 1-inch storm?
  5. Walk the exterior: where does each downspout terminate, and where does that water go?

For comparison, a typical 1,500 sq ft footprint sheds approximately 930 gallons in a 1-inch rain — roughly 93 gallons per downspout if there are 10. That's the equivalent of 18 standard 5-gallon buckets per downspout per inch of rain. Does your current discharge strategy handle this safely?

Deliverable: Calculations plus a written assessment of your downspout discharge strategy.

Exercise 10: Research Your Water Table

Skill: Background research and site hydrology Time required: 1–2 hours

Investigate the subsurface hydrology of your property:

  1. Contact your county soil survey office or access the USDA Web Soil Survey (websoilsurvey.usda.gov) to find soil series data for your lot
  2. Note the soil type and its drainage characteristics (well-drained, moderately well-drained, somewhat poorly drained, poorly drained)
  3. Check FEMA flood maps (msc.fema.gov) for your address — are you in a flood zone? What is the 1% annual chance flood elevation relative to your foundation?
  4. Ask long-term neighbors about basement water experience in the neighborhood
  5. If you can access your property's well log (for properties with wells), it lists depth to water — though this is a different measurement than seasonal water table

Write a one-page profile of your site's hydrology and the implications for basement water risk.

Deliverable: Site hydrology profile.

Exercise 11: Evaluate a Warranty Document

Skill: Consumer literacy Time required: 1 hour

Obtain a sample warranty from a waterproofing contractor (you can request one during a free inspection visit without committing to work). Analyze it for:

  • What exactly is covered? Is it the materials, the labor, or both?
  • What voids the warranty? (Common exclusions: natural disasters, foundation movement, owner modifications)
  • How long does coverage last?
  • Does it transfer to a new owner if you sell? (This adds measurable value to a home sale)
  • Is the company established enough to honor a 25-year warranty?
  • What is the claims process?

Compare to the criteria in Section 27.7. Write a one-page evaluation of the warranty's actual value.

Deliverable: Written warranty evaluation.

Exercise 12: Interior Drainage System Cost-Benefit Analysis

Skill: Financial decision-making Time required: 1–2 hours

Based on a real or hypothetical basement, build a simple cost-benefit analysis for an interior drainage system:

Costs: - Installation cost (use regional average or an actual bid) - Sump pump replacement over 20 years (assume replacement every 8 years at $300–$600 installed) - Annual electricity for sump pump (estimate 400 kWh/year × your local kWh rate) - Backup battery replacement (every 4 years at $120) - Total 20-year cost

Benefits: - Avoided water damage to finished space (estimate value of basement finishing at $25,000–$50,000) - Reduced insurance claims / potential premium savings - Increased usable space value - Reduced risk of mold remediation ($2,000–$10,000 per event)

Alternatives: - What would exterior waterproofing cost for the same protection? What would the 20-year total be? - What would grading and gutter improvements cost if applicable?

Is the system justified? Under what conditions does the answer change?

Deliverable: Completed cost-benefit table with written recommendation.