Fixing the Home's Gutter System

Project: Basement Finishing and Family Space, Episode 1, Part 3



In Melrose, MA, a family with two young sons needs extra room and looks to Bob and his team to repurpose their damp basement for expanded living space. Homeowner Sarah Monzon shows Bob the backyard of the 1921 gambrel with a stone retaining wall they created to manage the slope for the kids’ play yard. She explains how the exterior has water intrusion and moisture buildup problems. Inside, Cyrus Beasley rips out the under-stair closet and assesses the stair support required while the plumber disconnects the old soapstone sink. The Monzons then clear out years of junk and demolition waste before calling 1-800-Got-Junk to stack, sort, and dispose of everything to donation centers, recycling sites, and the dump for a set price. Larry Janesky of Basement Systems reviews the exterior drainage problems of the home with Bob and then explains how they will reduce moisture on the inside. The crew breaks up the concrete floor to create an interior drainage trench, applies Clean Walls to isolate the stone walls and send moisture runoff to the drainage trench and sump, installs Thermal Dry radiant barrier behind finished walls to prevent moisture transfer, and creates a hole for the sump.

Part 1: Touring a Neighborhood in Melrose
Part 2: Removing Unwanted Junk and Debris
Part 3: Fixing the Home's Gutter System
Bob reviews how keeping water out of the basement is a central concern in any basement remodeling project. Bob talks with Larry Janesky of Basement Systems about the problem. This home has a gambrel roof and a gutter system with three conductor pipes to carry away the rainwater. Janesky explains that the home was built in 1921 and used clay pipes as downspouts to carry the water away to the street. Over the years, these underground pipes have clogged. The pipes need to be taken up to drain at the ground level where rainwater will not affect the home's foundation. The conductor pipe will be disconnected from the clay pipe and a product called Rain Chute will divert water away from the home. This solution is much simpler than attempting to clean the old clay pipes that are clogged up beyond the side of the house and may have collapsed in upon themselves.

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