What drainage should be installed around a basement door?

Proper drainage around a basement door is critical for preventing water entry. Without it, the door well acts as a collection basin that directs every rain event directly toward the door threshold.

The standard drainage solution is a floor drain installed in the bottom of the concrete door well, connected to either the home's interior drainage system or to a daylit outlet at grade if the grade allows gravity flow. The drain must be sized to handle the rate of rainfall expected in NJ, which can be significant during storm events.

The concrete collar that frames the well at grade should be pitched slightly outward to direct surface runoff away from the opening. If the collar has settled and now pitches inward, water pools at the door base even if a drain is present.

Scaldino Basement Solutions installs a well drain as part of every new door installation and evaluates drainage conditions on every replacement project. If your existing door has water entry problems, contact us to assess whether a drainage improvement is needed.