Grate Drain vs. Iron Bacteria 2 - control and protect the basement

Iron Bacteria build up in a Pipe and Stone
Drainage system ruins a finished basement

As I’ve mentioned before about the Grate Drain, many of it’s features help to control iron bacteria and keep it at bay. This post I’ll focus on another series of benefits that the Grate Drain has over other french drain systems when it comes to Iron Bacteria.

No Gaps - Total Connection
One of the hard parts to defend against is the bacterias ability to cling to jagged surfaces. Many open back systems on the market have rough entry holes and rough surfaces in and around the drain. This is especially a problem at joints, where two pieces of drain meet. Bacteria has an easy time of grabbing a hold of that ridge and building on itself and eventually clogging a drain. The Grate Drain has nothing but smooth, seamless edges. It’s one continuous piece that is built to fit - so there are no gaps, edges or breaks at joints.


Pitched System.
Water requires gravity to flow properly, which is why every Grate Drain system is pitched to a sump location. This not only helps the water flow, but it makes it harder for bacteria to hold on. More importantly, if iron bacteria does build up somewhere, during a Hot Flush Maintenance, the water volume will carry the rest of it away due to the pitch of the system.

Access Ports - Flushing systems.
Hot Flush maintenance is important and to do this a system would require access ports. The Grate Drain has multiple types of access ports to choose from. Corner Ports and T-Ports connect long stretches of system and can be placed in a design to allow easy access to perform maintenance. Drains that don’t have access points tend to clog faster, have short life spans, and eventually fail. Regular maintenance of any interior french drain system is a must, with or without an iron bacteria problem.

Isolation - walls separate areas of the basement.
A solid wall divides the french drain into two parts. One that takes water from underneath the basement floor, and the other side takes water from the wall and footing joints. These two chambers stay separate through the corners as well, which makes isolating a bacteria problem easier. With this style of isolation, the iron bacteria will have a harder time spreading to other parts of the basement. This allows the maintenance and hot flushes to be more effective in curbing the growth and expansion of the iron bacteria.

The Grate Drain is a great invention for the basement waterproofing industry and even more so for it’s layers of protection that keep iron bacteria at bay. Read my previous post about Grate Drain vs. Iron Bacteria to learn other ways that this drain can hep to control moisture and water, while protecting the basement against iron bacteria.

Related Reading and Links
Read about the Top 6 Basement Mistakes that contractors and homeowners make. See what other readers have asked in Safe'n'Dry Basement Blog's Reader Questions Section
Ask Pioneer Basement a question Directly on Pioneer Basement's Help Forums!

Grate Drain vs. Hydrostatic Pressure - water under the basement floor.

As I've talked about before, Hydrostatic pressure is the build up of pressure caused by water increasing in volume under the basement floor. Eventually water has no where to go but up and will force its way through gaps, cracks and pours into the basement or crawl space. There aren't many effective french drain systems that actively remove water build up from underneath a floor, however, one such system that does is the Grate Drain system from Grate Products.

There are a few key design advantages that the Grate Drain has over other products which will give your home an edge in staying dry and protected against future floods and leaks.

Grate Drain Pitch -
Pitching a system can have many benefits, however when talking about moving water, it plays one key role: Moving the water. Roman Aqueducts declined slightly over long distances to keep the water flowing in particular direction. This same method is used under the floor. The drain itself is pitched to encourage water to flow towards the direction of a sump location. This also allows the drain to remove water at different levels up to the underside of the basement floor. This gives you more protection and more of a chance for the sump to deal with more volume.

Volume of water - Large Holes
The key to any drain's success is measured by the volume of water it can displace. The more water you can get to the sump to pump out of the home, the better. Large punched holes on 2 sides of the Grate Drain allow for more water to enter the drain faster, and with less resistance. This encourages the water into the drain, and quickly carries it away to a strong sump pump to take care of removal. Remember, More Water Out - Less risk of flooding.

Speed and Control
So, more water volume moved faster protects against the basement flooding. Controlling the water, where it's going, and what options it has are also important to keep in mind. The sump location is specifically designed to be the lowest point in the system, most water will go there. But as water can continue to enter from around the foundation, the drain can control where this water ends up. Vapor barriers and high points in the drain catch water that might have found its way in. This forces the water to be collected from all angles, wall, floor joint, and under the basement. This then allows the sump to truly come in contact with all the water and moisture effecting the basement. The Grate Drain will deliver the water to this point, but it'll be up to the speed and strength of the sump pump to move the water out of the house faster than it coming in.

The Grate Drain is a powerful french drain system for the interior of your home. Protecting your basement or crawl space against leaks, flooding, or occasional moisture/humidity is what it is specifically designed for. This makes it an essential home improvement project for any home where the basement can be used.

Read more blog posts about the Grate Drain
Read more blog posts about the Grate Sump Sump Pump basin


Related Reading and Links
Read about the Top 6 Basement Mistakes that contractors and homeowners make. See what other readers have asked in Safe'n'Dry Basement Blog's Reader Questions Section
Ask Pioneer Basement a question Directly on Pioneer Basement's Help Forums!

Grate Drain vs. Iron Bacteria - how it can help control and protect.

The GrateDrain french drain system has the best set of protections against iron bacteria issues in the basement.

The GrateDrain System installed on the inside of a Basement.

Iron bacteria is prevalent in America, with approximately 1 in every 5 basements having contact with iron bacteria in the soil it's a very real problem for households.

Iron bacteria, or iron ocher, can cause pipe clogs, kill sump pumps, and render most drainage systems completely useless. The Grate Drain on the other hand is one of the best solutions for waterproofing a basement while an iron bacteria issue is present.

Drainage holes
The openings in this french drain are specifically designed for iron bacteria situations. They are wide and smooth. Wide means it can carry more volume and it's harder for the bacteria to bridge the gap and cause clogs that hold on the exterior part of the drain. The holes themselves are punched out of the outer walls during the manufacturing. This makes the hole edges smooth and makes it harder for the bacteria to get a hold of the drain to gain in mass.


Built in Anti-Microbial
To futher defend the basement against the bacteria build up, this new version of the Grate Drain has had anti-microbial built into the plastic. If the bacteria reach the inside of the basement the drain's surface repells the substance to keep it from forming clogs or gaining mass. This helps to keep it at bay and makes it easy to flush out of the system.


Interior Slick Surface
The combination of the smooth punched holes in the drain and the smooth surfaces of the drain itself, helps to limit clogs and limit sediment from building up in the drain. If soil, sand, or silt find level resting places in any drain, this gives a rough surface for other silt and, in this case, iron bacteria to get a foot hold to build and expand.

The Grate Drain has other design elements that help it combat iron bacteria. Hopefully you've learned a little more about the drain product and some of the important features that can help to make the basement a safer and healthier place.

*Update 8/9/2010* I've continued on about some of the other features of the Grate Drain that help to limit and control the problems of iron bacteria: http://diyguyct.blogspot.com/2010/08/grate-drain-vs-iron-bacteria-2-control.html

For more information about GrateDrain visit: Grate Products: Basement Health
More information on Iron Bacteria and the Waterproofing Industry visit:
http://www.waterproofmag.com/back_issues/200904/iron-bacteria.php

Related Reading and Links
Read about the Top 6 Basement Mistakes that contractors and homeowners make. See what other readers have asked in Safe'n'Dry Basement Blog's Reader Questions Section
Ask Pioneer Basement a question directly on Pioneer Basement's Help Forums!

Grate Drain vs. Floor Seepage - protecting against wet basements

One of the popular advantages of GrateDrain over other french drains is that it is specifically designed and installed to protect against floor seepage.

Floor seepage is when water pushes its way up through the floor of the basement. Cracks and separations can often make problems worse than they would be normally. However the problem that is causing the basement to become wet is the fact that water mass builds up under the floor of the basement.

As water builds, pressure is put on the underside of the concrete floor. As water seeks the path of least resistance, holes and separations are the first choice - but they're not always available - so water finds other ways in. The most common area that sees seepage is the perimeter around the basement; the gap between the wall and the basement floor.

Pressure can cause puddling in the middle of the floor, flooding, and wet spots around the perimeter of the basement.

How GrateDrain targets both, and Fixes them

GrateDrain, the french drain in question, has a bigger advantage of having holes on both sides of it. The holes are large and can accommodate large volumes of water. This is key to keep the volume of water under control under the basement floor. This is most importantly during a series of rain storms. The Grate Drain is installed so that the water drains into it inches before coming in contact with the bottom of the floor. This keeps the volume from building and building to the level of the footing and the floor.

This is important for a few reasons
1.) Moisture and water aren't touching the floor. This keeps puddling and floor crack seepage under control.
2.) It keeps water under the floor from jumping up on the footer and through the floor/wall gap.
3.) Volume is less shocking because it's under control most of the time - this is important for your drainage to be affective and also to increase the life of your sump pump.

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Related Reading and Links
Read about the Top 6 Basement Mistakes that contractors and homeowners make. See what other readers have asked in Safe'n'Dry Basement Blog's Reader Questions Section
Ask Pioneer Basement a question Directly on Pioneer Basement's Help Forums!

3 Things that help Pioneer Basement Deal with Iron Bacteria

Iron Bacteria is becoming more and more common. As of today, almost 1 in 5 homes have an Iron Bacteria issue that could range from minimal to overwhelming.

As I’ve talked about before, Iron Bacteria is harmless to people, but it’s the machines, drains, and pumps in your basement that can be at risk if there is a problem that is not addressed.

Grate Products put a great deal of research into their Grate Drain products because of this. Here are the top 3 things that help any Grate Product Contractor, including Pioneer Basement Waterproofing of Massachusetts, to deal with Iron Bacteria more effectively than the “other guy”.

1. Larger Openings in the Drain – Iron bacteria, has the ability to create chemical bonds with its self. This allows it to span small cracks, gaps and openings between rocks and drain pipes. The Grate Drain was designed with openings that are too large for this chemical bond to hold against the pressure caused by the volume of water coming through.
2. Anti-Microbial – The Grate Drain and all the active components of the system have anti-microbial built into parts. This keeps the iron bacteria from even wanting to touch or attach itself to any parts of the drain or sump location.
3. Center Wall – The center wall of the Grate Drain helps to make it stronger but it also segregates the two sides of the drain. It helps to keep any water that enters through the wall-footing joint from joining the water under the floor, and visa versa. This also goes for Iron Bacteria. It has been known to form colonies in one part of the basement and leave the other side alone, and this helps any Grate Products Contractor isolate the bacteria issue and provide a treatment for it.

Things we know about how to combat Iron Bacteria:

 Flushing the problem areas with 160-degree water causes the bacteria to go into hibernation which makes it easier to remove from a system.

 There are chemicals that can be used to treat small areas and unclog pumps, such as Iron Out, but they should be used in small amounts if used at all.

 Iron Bacteria feeds off of minerals in the water content. High iron and manganese deposits make for a better place for the bacteria to grow.

 It’s been reported in many of the northern states in the United States, such as Montana, Michigan, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New York.

Related Reading and Links

Steve Andras about Iron Bacteria: The Red Stuff - Waterproofing Mag.

Read more about Iron Bacteria on Safe'n'Dry Blog :-)

Read about the Top 6 Basement Mistakes that contractors and homeowners make.

Ask Jacob A question Directly on Pioneer Basement's Help Forums!

Image thanks to FreeDrinkingWater.com

Grate Products Flexi-Flange, what it is, what it does, and how it helps to control moisture in your basement.

Flexi-Flange isn’t one of the more popular products that Grate Products has produced, but it could be considered one of the most important.

The Flexi-Flange is designed to create the seal at the point where our Wall Protection Vapor Barrier meets the concrete of your basement floor. Its primary function is to close off access to the basement from under your basement slab and from behind our vapor barrier. At this point it also performs a few other key functions.

It protects the vapor barrier. The flange does this by lying on top of the vapor barrier. This makes sure that any of the concrete used to seal back the floor doesn’t interfere with the vapor barrier and keeps any separation from happening at the floor and wall joint.

The flexi-flange also allows the vapor barrier to continuously connect with the drain under the floor by allowing minor movements without breaking the seal with the concrete. This ensures continuous flow from the vapor barrier to the drain and stop point if water tries to jump the circuit.

For that homeowner with older, open back systems, the flange is designed to be reversible. This way we can retrofit most open back systems with wall protection and to seal off the open back system to provide true basement moisture protection. Without a vapor barrier and with an open channel in your drainage system you open yourself up to a list of hazards that many companies won’t speak about: added moisture and humidity, radon, bugs, and air from under your basement floor.

Considering that you had an open back system installed in the first place means that you were trying to have your basement waterproofed the right way. So this flange is designed to complete the design that wasn’t installed. Vapor barrier to protect your walls can be installed and your flange will close off the gap, easily sealing off the channel and allowing the vapor barrier to drain to the system without air, water, or other nasty things to jump the system back into your basement.

By creating the seal of the vapor barrier and drain the flexi flange becomes one of the most important sealed system aspects of any Grate Drain system. It’s a little known innovation by Grate Products, however it helps to maintain the system by simply existing. With no maintenance it’s a part that many homeowners forget about, however without it your vapor barrier might become damaged more easily, water might be able to jump the system and air would be able to flow up into your basement from under your floor.

Wet Basements in New England, CT, MA, RI: How water gets into your basement

It’s rainy weather like today’s (cloudy and raining all over Rhode Island and Southern Massachusetts, I’m sure that Connecticut saw it earlier) that will eventually remind many homeowners how important having a dry basement is. Having a wet basement can be aggravating. Many people get down on their hands and knees to sop up water with sponges, buckets and wet-vacs.

The fact of the mater is having a wet basement isn’t your fault. It’s a design flaw in how basements are built. The good news is you can have someone inspect your basement, and install something that addresses these flaws head on.

Water can find it’s way through the space between the footing and wall:
When a wall is made the footing is poured first and left to dry. They form it around 2x4 in order to achieve a “dove tale” so the wall poured on top of it dries with part of it’s support inside of the footing. The problem is that the concrete can’t connect. If one object is dry, a wet concrete object can’t merge with it and become one solid piece. There’s a natural space left between the two objects. This space is an easy route for water to press through and find itself ether on your floor, underneath your floor, or wicking up your walls.

Water can settle under your concrete Floor:
Wet basements can also happen with water seeping up from underneath the floor. When a foundation’s walls are finished the Contractor “back-fills” or fills in the open areas with dirt, stone or gravel. Your floor of your basement rests on back fill. Depending on what was used for back fill it can be easy or hard for water to sit, build pressure, and find holes and gaps to seep up from. Cracks in the floor or the gap between the floor and the wall are the two most common areas this water shows itself.

Water can come through cracks in your foundation walls:
Cracks happen to all concrete eventually. There are many factors that can cause cracks in concrete but the one thing that can exploit these small tares in your walls is water. When it rains outside the soil soaks up the amount of water it can handle, the rest is left to fend for itself and find places to fill up. When water finds a crack in your wall it can “sense” the pressure difference in the basement and seeks to occupy the open space. Depending on the amount of water and pressure build up outside, the water can dribble, seep, or pour through cracks.

Addressing all three possibilities is the key to success:
Now the major issue is finding something that tackles all three, looks good, doesn’t interfere with your use of the basement, and protects you for the life of the house. The GrateDrain system by Grate Products LLC is that system. The combination of Wall Protection, Crack Repair, a Duel Channel drain to address both directions of water flow, and a GrateSump to relieve pressure under the floor and remove the water in the drains are the way to go.

The GrateDrain is designed to remove water from under the floor and defend against that water building up over time. With a solid wall in the middle of the drain it can separately address the water coming from the wall behind the wall protection and the water coming between the footing and the wall. The GrateSump, where the sump pump is installed, will add extra support for water build up under the floor at a deeper level as well as provide the exit strategy for the water in the drain.

The GrateDrain is a flawless, seamless, closed system to protect your basement from ever being wet again. Basements in Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts have been receiving help from Pioneer Basement for over 25 years (a GrateDrain Installer!). If you have a wet basement and need help, if you have dreams of finishing but need to get water under control, then look no further; Pioneer Basement is here to help.

For basement waterproofing, or wet basement help in CT, MA, or RI, call:
1-800-649-6140 or visit Pioneer Basement online: www.pioneerbasement.com

DIY Basement Waterproofing.

It’s a wonderful day an age where most projects in the home are considered DIY (do-it-yourself). However, being that I’m personally familiar with the complexities of basement waterproofing, when people ask me “do you know of any DIY Basement Waterproofing kits?” I sadly can’t help but laugh.

Every project that I’ve seen done DIY to waterproof a basement has failed. Paints, Sealants, make-shift sump pump “cut outs” with wood hole covers, drilled holes in the concrete floor, the list just gets more horrific with every passing week it seems.

The reason I stress that Basement Waterproofing shouldn’t be a DIY project is because it’s dealing directly with the support network for your whole home: The Foundation.

Basement waterproofing, when done properly in the interior of the basement, requires that you remove part of the floor next to the wall. You do this to uncover the footing of the home. A drain is placed along the footing, pitched and eventually will connect to a sump basin that cannot be more than 19” deep. Any deeper and you can disrupt the soil underneath the footing and possibly undermining the foundation (causing it to callapse).

If you’re hell bent on doing the project yourself take into consideration the following ideas in planning your diy waterproofing project:

1.) Materials: there are only a few drains out there that redirect water from both the wall/footing direction and from underneath the slab. Most drains do one or the other, not both

2.) Standard sump basins are too deep. This can seriously cause foundation issues down the road.

3.) Sealents and Paints don’t work. Both are not true vapor barriers and both will not lead the water properly to a drain system. Consider the use of a full wall protection Vapor Barrier like HD TuffSheild.

4.) If any drain has holes smaller than 1.25” x .75” don’t use them. They’re apt to clogging and bacteria build up. Most of the black corrugated piping clogs easier and is much more uncontrollable once you put it in the floor. Punched drain holes are better than drilled drain holes for the same reasons.

5.) If you can’t find these parts on your own you can try a place like Basement Depot in order for find the proper materials.

Products I know to meet these above standards: GrateDrain, GrateSump, Various Vapor Barriers, and all of these can be found through Pioneer Basement or other Grate Products Installers / Dealers

GrateDrain – Next Phase in Basement Waterproofing Technologies pt.1

Drain Tiles, French Drain, Pipe and Stone, and now the GrateDrain™. The advancement process in the water control and basement waterproofing industry has been slow and fraught with trial and error. But now, the GrateDrain™ bends the rules and introduces new technology to old ideas.

What is the GrateDrain™?

The GrateDrain™ is a product introduced by Grate Products LLC in Westport, MA a little over 3 years ago. Its design is simple: A duel channel drain made out of extruded polyvinyl chloride (PVC), its wide holes on both sides are punched, and the walls of the drain are .08in thick. It’s a robust, smooth, drain with antimicrobials built into the plastic to defend against iron bacteria infiltration.

GrateDrain™ is unique in that it contains a solid center support wall that not only serves a structural function but succeeds in helping to discourage cross contamination of water penetration from wall/footing joint to under your concrete floor. This also helps to isolate iron bacteria issues if they are present. Large punched holes allow for higher volume of water to enter the drain to be then directed to the sump pump area.

Punching the holes, rather than drilling them, leads to less snags not only while you’re installing the GrateDrain™, but allows for less to hold onto when we’re talking about clogs. If the pipe openings are smooth, the less debris and other objects tend to get caught. Stuck dirt only allows for more things to attach themselves to it, leading to build ups and eventual failure of the pipe.

The entire drain is customizable to the size required for the job. No longer would you have to deal in 7 foot lengths of prefabricated piping. If you need a 14’-5” piece, you build it, right then and there, leading to very little waste and a more manageable pitch to the drain. The drain connects to itself via access ports that are located along long stretches of drain and at the corners. These access ports allow the installer to maintain the drain over long periods of time and allow for better flow around corners through the continuous GrateDrain™.

For more information about GrateDrain™ Contractors in your area visit: http://www.grateproducts.com/

For Local Installers:
VT: Vermont Basement
MA/CT/RI: Pioneer Basement
NH: Rescon Solutions
NY: Kinetic Basement
PA (east): Tri-State Services Inc.
PA (west): Matthews Wall Anchor
MO: Missouri Basement: St.Louis Metro
NY: Crawford Basements (Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse)
Iowa: Basement Solutions of Iowa
VA: Virginia Basement Waterproofing
NJ: Select Basement Waterproofing, NJ
MD: Floodbusters Basement Waterproofing - Baltimore


Part 2 Continued @ http://http//www.pioneerbasement.com/forum/blog.php?b=14