Quote:
Originally Posted by glatt
Meanwhile, our basement stayed mostly dry since we put on downspout extensions last year.
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Damp basements are only due to fools who think ground must be flat. Ground should drop at least 1 foot for every ten out. Better landscaping means earth is must steeper all around the house.
Downspout extensions only required when the landscaper is totally unprofessional - stupidly want to make ground flat.
Furthermore, that ground that steeply rises up to the house must also remain at least 6 inches below the siding. That must foundation must separate the structure from earth to avert termites and other problems. Again, failure (moisture anywhere in a basement) created because a landscaper had no idea how to do his job. Rain was not the problem. Human ignorance was.
UT once posted pictures of a (constantly damp) residence because ground all around the house was defectively graded.
Of course, it may not matter if a backyard river has nowhere else to go. But even then, landscaping means the house remains a island - a last thing to flood.
Downspout extensions are necessary when a landscaper did not know what he was doing.