I just purchased a house in the Northeast Ohio area. The house has a well and a septic system. I have an unfinished basement that I am considering finishing, but I am concerned that there is sump pump in the basement. There were no water issues outlined in the required property disclosure form we received at the time we placed the offer on the home, and the basement does appear dry. My question(s) are:
(1) are sump pumps and sub-slab drainage (and for that matter, foundation drainage systems such as a perforated pipe/tile drain system) required elements in construction in most areas? I would be curious to know how the foundation drainage system is operating without a sump; would the water be simply diverted away to a lower-lying area (elevation-wise)?
(2) I have a floor drain in my basement as well as two floor drains in my garage. Neither drain appear to be connected to the septic system, as neither has a lift station and there is no sump in the basement. Where do these drains discharge? Is it allowable by code to simply allow the water to discharge into the sub-slab area, or does the water have to be diverted away from the home in order to avoid both sub-slab erosion issues as well as satuation issues with the septic leach field system?
I appreciate your help and replies. I want to finish the basement but want to make sure that it is a space that is usable and will not consistently have water backup problems from the floor drain and walls due to the lack of a sump or foundation drainage system. Perhaps you have knowledge that would help answer these questions as well as those I outlined above.
(1) are sump pumps and sub-slab drainage (and for that matter, foundation drainage systems such as a perforated pipe/tile drain system) required elements in construction in most areas? I would be curious to know how the foundation drainage system is operating without a sump; would the water be simply diverted away to a lower-lying area (elevation-wise)?
(2) I have a floor drain in my basement as well as two floor drains in my garage. Neither drain appear to be connected to the septic system, as neither has a lift station and there is no sump in the basement. Where do these drains discharge? Is it allowable by code to simply allow the water to discharge into the sub-slab area, or does the water have to be diverted away from the home in order to avoid both sub-slab erosion issues as well as satuation issues with the septic leach field system?
I appreciate your help and replies. I want to finish the basement but want to make sure that it is a space that is usable and will not consistently have water backup problems from the floor drain and walls due to the lack of a sump or foundation drainage system. Perhaps you have knowledge that would help answer these questions as well as those I outlined above.