Basement Waterproofing Series
Part 2: Cove Diverters

The Cove Joint

Once you have isolated the source of your water intrusion, you can begin to mitigate it. There are many approaches and opinions on the best way to manage water intrusion. Fortunately, the University of Minnesota has done a study on the most effective ways to mitigate water from a foundation/basement.

In their study, they described five different methods in which water mitigation was possible. Of those five, two (which were deemed the most effective) used what is called a cove diverter and a French drain system.

In your home you have what is called a cove joint. It is the point in the foundation where the footer and the block wall meet. This is often the easiest access point for water to enter and where most water issues arise.

A cove diverter is a product that is designed to guide water from the base of a wall (weep holes) or the cove joint and move it to the drain tile system that is on, or preferably next to the footer. One of the best cove diverters on the market is a product called PolyCove.

PolyCove

PolyCove is an Ultra-high Molecular Weight Thermoplastic (UHMW) material that has been specifically engineered to be the most effective cove diverter. Its rugged and durable composition allows it to be malleable and easy to work with. Yet its dense nature means you do not have to worry about it being brittle or cracking under pressure or in cold weather.

In conjuncture with its strength, there are a few other components that make it the favorite of waterproofing professionals. The ability to specify sizes or color means you can get the perfect roll to suit your specific job. Another unique feature of PolyCove is its waffle-like nature. Each PolyCove roll has what we call 5/8” air gaps, or dimples. These dimples are lined across the entirety of the roll and create a channel for the water to flow. As mentioned earlier, water will take the path of least resistance. Creating a healthy channel to flow will optimize the movement of the water to the drain tile.

Yet another benefit of these dimples are the holes that are created on the top side. When repouring concrete, it will find its way into these holes. The extra concrete will create a thicker floor and increase the overall strength of the repoured floor.

Although PolyCove is a favorite of basement waterproofing professionals it is not the best option for every water mitigation project. Due to varying code restrictions across the country, or the age of the home, you will find that each footer thickness will not be the same. A varying footer size will mean the thickness of the slab will be different on each job. In some cases, you may have 8” of concrete between the footer and the surface, others 2”, or even in some nightmare cases less. In these instances with a thinner slab you can utilize a different cove diverter called Channel-Cove.

Channel-Cove

Channel-Cove is similar to its counterpart in the sense that it is designed to move water from the cove joint or weep holes to the French drain tile. It is also made from a high molecular weight thermoplastic. This means like Polydrain, it will be a durable solution and not crack or tear over time. There are however a few key differences in Channel-Cove that make it easier to use depending on the scope of the job. Some of these differences are:

• 250 ft of seamless product vs. 100 ft rolls
• Prescored to create a 10” X 5” bend
• Easy installation
• Can be finished with cap molding
• Narrow channels

The ¼” channels in the product make it the ideal solution for a thin floor. The channels will still allow water to flow freely to from the weepholes to the pipe, however they will not take up as much space as Polydrain.

The next component that differentiates it from its counterparts is the prescore. There is a brief serration at 5”, creating a bend with 10” and 5” widths. This score guarantees a clean fold and straight lines across the entirety of the footer. This combined with the option for a cap piece makes it the ideal solution for a job that has a worry of radon. With the cap, the straight lines, and some caulk; you have the ability to create a closed system.

Closed or open, Channel-Cove has been proven to be a fantastic solution for jobs that have a narrow floor, require a clean closed look, or simply do not have as much water flow. You can trust that the corrugated grooves will move the water to the French Drain tile system that is on or next to your footer.

 

For more info: https://extension.umn.edu/moisture-and-mold-indoors/moisture-basements-causes-and-solutions

Cove Joint

Channel-Cove closeup

Polydrain dimple-side up

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Efflorescence and mold growth on block walls

Significant mold growth on block wall

Condensation and pooling on floor leaves behind efflorescence

Cracked block wall

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As a business owner, you must clearly do what you think is best for your company, your employees, your customers and your community. If you’re unsure whether or not you’re allowed to stay open, read the following verbiage from CISA, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency:

“The attached list identifies workers who conduct a range of operations and services that are essential to continued critical infrastructure viability, including”…”maintaining and repairing critical infrastructure,” and “working construction.”

Then, under the Public Works Sector, even clearer language:

“Workers such as plumbers, electricians, exterminators, and other service providers who provide services that are necessary to maintaining the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of residences”

Basement waterproofing by its very nature maintains the safety, sanitation and essential operation of residences. This language covers your installation crews, but could also be applied to your office workers if you have any. Scheduling, customer service, and marketing positions could all be considered essential to the day-to-day operation of your business.

To give employees peace of mind when they’re commuting to and from work, some of our contractors are giving them letters that spell out their necessity to business operations. See below:

Regardless if you plan to stay operational during the COVID-19 crisis or not, please continue to take measures that will prevent the spread of the virus. Be safe, be responsible and be well!

Source: https://www.cisa.gov/publication/guidance-essential-critical-infrastructure-workforce

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So how could the average electric bill rise if these devices are becoming more efficient? It’s simple—more devices in more homes will run on electricity instead of gas, causing more electricity usage.

Another example could be your sump pump. Today’s sump pumps are not very energy efficient. Many people don’t know how often their pump runs and how it affects their electric bill. There are also those who don’t even know they have a pump working to keep their basement dry. Yikes!

Take a look at the chart below showing different levels of amp draw for some of the top pumps in America. You may be spending unnecessary money on your electric bill. Want to know for sure how much yours is running? Check out PumpSpy. The only system that monitors the health of your primary pump, details how many amps it’s pulling and alerts you if there is ever an issue.

Is your pumping system using newer electric technology? The amp draw will tell you the truth!

Source 1: https://www.consumerreports.org/ranges/gas-or-electric-range-which-is-better/

Source 2:    https://www.eia.gov/electricity/sales_revenue_price/pdf/table5_a.pdf

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At Richtech Industries, the battery is one of the focal components of our battery backup system. It is the power source that cycles your backup pump, preventing your basement from flooding after a power outage, torrential downpour, or a failed primary pump.

The modern battery that we know and depend on was designed back in 1800 by a man named Allessandro Volta (Volt). The original design later had an overhaul in 1859, and became one of the most widely produced batteries – the Lead Acid Battery. This model is the most closely related to the style used in the waterproofing industry. There are two main types of Lead Acid batteries – the Wet Cell battery and the Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) battery.

The wet cell is the most widely used battery in the industry. This style battery usually contains a liquid combination of water and sulfuric acid. Although the Wet Cell batteries have a longer lifespan than the SLA, they require substantially more maintenance.

The user is required to add both water or acid on regularly scheduled intervals to keep the battery operating at peak capacity. Caustic gas emissions given off when the battery is charging are another problem. The user is required to ventilate the unit to prevent a dangerous buildup of hazardous fumes. If the unit is not properly ventilated, it can cause corrosion on the battery terminals, decreasing the efficiency and longevity of the battery.

The Sealed Lead Acid battery comes in a few variations, however the most prominent is the Absorbed Glass Mat or AGM. The AGM battery is a completely self-contained unit that has all fluids and acid stored in the fiberglass matting of the unit, resulting in no emissions or erosion as seen in the Wet Cell. This also means that the AGM battery is maintenance-free. Being a self contained unit, the user is not required to add acid and or water to the unit, ever.

Another benefit of the SLA batteries is the faster and more efficient charging speed. Some studies have shown SLA batteries charging up to 5 times faster than their Wet Cell counterparts. The better charging rate is due to the construction of the panels and fiberglass matting. This construction also allows SLA batteries to withstand cold weather more efficiently than the Wet Cell.

Call your contractor and ask them to install a Richtech SLA battery in your backup system today!

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It may have to do with the soil the house is built on. Dry soils (like Clay) create problems with expansion and contraction as they absorb water and then dry out. This expansion/contraction puts added pressure on basement walls, causing them to eventually crack and let ground water in.

Some areas have rocky soil and the cost to dig a basement is expensive. In some states like Florida, Alabama and Louisiana, the soil is too damp to build one (because of swamp lands or wetlands).

In a coastland area, the chances are the soil will be damp too because of a high water table.

Some areas have basements because they provide shelter in case of a tornado. West coast houses aren’t likely to have basements because they are in earthquake areas.

The frostline (the depth in which the groundwater in soil is expected to freeze, which depends on the climate conditions in that area) has a lot to do if there is a basement or not. In northern areas the frostline is deep and builders have to dig deep to go below it for the home foundation. Here it makes sense to put in a basement.

Where the frostline is shallow, builders don’t need to go as deep and a crawl space will do.

The cost of building a basement vs. a crawl space is also a factor. It’s much less expensive for a crawl space.

But many home buyers like the extra space a basement provides. It can be used for storage, as a recreation area or as an added living space. If there is a possibility of ground water getting into the basement, an interior water drainage system with a sump pump can be installed.

Existing basements or crawl spaces with moisture problems can be fixed using a combination of an interior water drainage system like ICC Approved QuikFlo, combined with a water diverter like Polydrain and a sump pump (we recommend a Pitboss or Big Boss Sump Pump, or a PumpSpy Battery Backup System for added peace of mind). An Aprilaire Dehumidifier can also be added to remove excess moisture.

If you have any questions about any of these products and would like more information, please contact us at 800.677.7791.

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Many trucking companies charge “pallet pricing” where the rate is based on weight and size (dimensions: length/width/height). Standard pallet size (48″ L x 40″ W x 48″ H) and weight (usually less than 1650 lbs.) is priced one way. Larger and heavier pallets are shipped at a higher rate.

We normally ship with a 4′ x 4′ pallet size (larger products like ICC Approved QuikFlo Drain Pipes/Durawall & Safewall/System Platon may need to go on a larger sized 4′ x 8′ skid).

The good news?

The trucking company we use to ship 90%+ of our orders does not charge this way.

They charge per skid.

So as long as the skid fits within the height of the truck, the cost is the same for Skid A. as it is for Skid C. (shown above). Most of our skids ship for within $65 – $100. The larger 4′ x 8′ skids may cost $10 – $15 more.

SO STACK EM’ UP!

Next time you think about placing a small order that ships on a skid, add more products. You’ll save extra $$$ over time on shipping costs that you can put into your own pocket!

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For our purposes, let’s say your sump pump basin holds 5 gallons of water. Now a 3/4 HP Pump will pump out the water at a faster rate than a 1/3 HP or 1/2 HP Pump. And most sump pumps will pump out the water that comes into the basin regularly without any problems.

What you have to plan for are those rain events that happen once or twice a year where a LOT OF WATER comes into the system at a very short period of time. In these events, a 1/3 HP Pump or a 1/2 HP Pump may not be able to keep up with the rising water level. If this happens, the basement will eventually flood.

Now it is true that during one of these rain events a higher HP pump may run a few more cycles than a lower HP Pump. But the smaller HP Pumps may not be able to keep up with the torrential rains that may occur.

So the trade off for the few dozen extra cycles on the switch of your main sump pump isn’t worth the risk of flooding your basement (and most pump switches average 100,000 cycles anyway).

WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW

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Then guess what…your basement floods!

Water powered sump pumps are also very expensive to run compared to a battery backup electric pump. A water powered sump pump uses 1 gallon of your city water to pump out either 1 or 2 gallons of water from your sump pump basin. Using the ratio of 1 to 2 at 1,000 Gallons Per Hour (GPH), this system will use 5,000 gallons of water to prevent 10.000 gallons from flooding the basement.

It wastes a lot of water, and if it runs a long time do you really want that water bill?

Also, if you have a well pump this system will not work.

Many cities won’t approve a water powered sump pump because of the wasted drinking water. And also because they don’t like the idea of your home water line being connected to a sump pump discharge line carrying “greywater”, in case there is a backup from the sump pump.

Some water powered sump pumps (like the Zoeller Model 503) are not maintenance-free. Their instruction manual states a filter needing to be installed in the water supply line to remove particles before they reach the pump. And these pumps need to be manually activated once a month to prevent calcium deposits and debris from building up in the unit, or the pump may fail.

Will you remember to do this every month for years to come?

The water powered sump pumps operate quietly which is one nice feature. Except when the ON/OFF switch breaks, because it usually breaks in the ON position, which means the pump will run continuously using your home water supply. CHING!, CHING!

If you are looking to get a new sump pump, or to replace an old one that’s seen better days, we recommend purchasing a new ELECTRIC sump pump (preferably a Richtech pump like the Pitboss or Big Boss).

An electric sump pump is much easier to install than a water powered sump pump (you don’t need to connect it to your home water supply like the water powered sump pump). And more economical to run.

If you install an electric sump pump with a battery backup, your pump can run up to 166 hours depending on how often it cycles (and you can also add additional batteries if needed to make it last even longer).

And the Richtech AGM Batteries we recommend for the backup system are maintenance-free and come with a 3-Year Full Replacement Warranty.

Using these batteries in combination with a Pitboss Battery Backup System or a PumpSpy Battery Backup System will assure your peace of mind knowing your system is working properly.

Contact us at 800.677.7791 for more information on our full line of electric sump pumps.

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