Beaver Systems: Simple Basement Water Management with Dams

I've been blogging about sump systems and downspouts for the past several weeks, but one system I forgot to mention is  'beaver systems', or more properly, BEAVER® Systems.  A Beaver Water Management System is basically the poor man's basement drain tile system.

Traditional basement drain tile consists of corrugated, perforated tubes that are installed below the basement slab along the perimeter of the foundation walls, which prevents ground water from leaking into the finished space.  The water gets directed to a sump basket, and from there it gets pumped out of the house.

A Beaver system consist of a dam that gets glued to the basement floor. When water leaks into the basement, the dam holds the water right against the perimeter of the basement against the foundation walls, and directs the water to a floor drain or a sump basket.  The photos below show a couple of examples.

Beaver system


Beaver system with sump basket


Beaver system drain to sump basket

The most common problem with Beaver Systems is that storm water often gets directed to the sanitary sewer system through the basement floor drain.  As I mentioned in a previous post, storm water should not drain to the sanitary sewer.  On the other hand, if a Beaver System directs water to a sump basket with a sump pump, it's a relatively cheap alternative to a full drain tile system for someone with an unfinished basement and chronic water intrusion problems.

Author: Reuben Saltzman, Structure Tech Home Inspections

          

Written By

Reuben is a second-generation home inspector with a passion for his work. He grew up remodeling homes and learning about carpentry since he was old enough to hold a hammer. Reuben grew up thinking he was going to be a school teacher because he enjoyed teaching others so much. In a sense, that’s a lot of what home inspections are about, so Reuben truly does what he loves. Sharlene has worked with Structure Tech since 2000 and Reuben has been contributing to her blog since 2008.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter for Market Updates & Mid-Century Modern Listings

Our weekly HomesMSP Update includes current local market information and a curated list of mid-century modern properties for sale, plus posts from an inspector, a lender, a stager, info about neighborhoods, life in the Twin Cities… even recipes!

Hidden

Blog Categories

Archives

Sharon and John Hensrud

About Us

The HomesMSP Team is committed to meeting you where you are and listening… really listening to understand you so we can use our extensive knowledge of the market and local neighborhoods to give you personalized service.