A drain at the base of Morristown basement walls, old stone and new concrete alike, that carries seepage to a sump pump before it spreads across the floor.
In Morristown, an interior perimeter drain is often the practical answer for older homes because it works on almost any foundation type. Fieldstone walls near the Green, brick foundations on the side streets off South Street, and block walls in houses from the middle of the last century all tend to leak at the base. A drain set below the slab along the inside of the wall catches that water and channels it to a sump pit, so the rest of the floor stays dry. It is also one of the few fixes that does not depend on getting a machine into a narrow side yard.
Older basements here can complicate the dig. Some floors are thin, uneven, or poured over dirt and rubble, and some have old coal rooms, cisterns, or abandoned drains tucked into corners. A careful contractor will open a test section, explain what they find, and adjust the plan. With stone walls, a membrane or channel is often used to guide water that runs down the face of the wall into the new drain rather than onto the floor. Expect the plan to change a little once the floor is open, and ask how any surprises will be priced before the crew starts cutting.
The pump deserves as much attention as the drain. Storms that send the most water toward Morristown foundations often bring outages too, so a battery backup and a high water alarm are worth discussing. Where the discharge goes matters on tight lots. A line that dumps next to the driveway or toward a neighbor just moves the problem. Ask how the water will be carried away from the house, how the outlet will be kept from freezing, and check with the town before routing it anywhere near the street or sewer. A sealed pit lid is a good idea too.
Yes. It is one of the more common fixes for stone foundations in Morristown. The contractor usually leaves a small gap or adds a channel so water running down the stone drops into the drain, and may recommend repointing badly eroded joints first.
It can add work. Thin or broken slabs sometimes need more concrete when the trench is patched, and some contractors suggest resurfacing part of the floor. Ask for this to be addressed in the quote so there are no surprises.
The goal is to get water well away from the foundation without sending it onto a neighbor or the sidewalk. Options depend on your lot, so ask the contractor for a specific plan and check with the town on what is allowed.
In September 2011, after Hurricane Irene and the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee, the Whippany River overflowed onto Martin Luther King Avenue, closing it between George and Spring streets.
patch.comMorristown's housing is old: about 23% of homes were built in 1939 or earlier and about half before 1970.
api.censusreporter.orgThe Whippany River runs through Morristown on its way to the Rockaway River and the Passaic basin.
en.wikipedia.orgDigging along a Morristown foundation to seal the outside of the wall and add drainage, when the lot and the house make it possible.
Injection repairs for leaking cracks in poured Morristown foundations, plus an honest look at cracks in older block and stone walls.
Sealing the damp crawl spaces under Morristown additions, porches, and older wings to protect framing and cut down on musty air.
Pumping out, drying, and clearing damaged materials after a storm, river overflow, or sump failure in a Morristown basement.