Sill Plate Drainage System
Sill plate replacement can be one of the more costly repairs to your home. Termites, carpenter ants, rodents and mold are some of the effects of sill plate water damage. AM Shield specializes in sill plate drainage correction and replacement. This cost effective solution can avoid thousands of dollars in repairs.
The Problem
A very important and sometimes overlooked area where water can penetrate through a home is along the top of the foundation. This can happen when a foundation is built too low to the ground or the terrain of the surrounding property pitches towards the building. This can be easily diagnosed when water is visibly running down from the top of the foundation wall.
The foundation sill plate, also know as the bottom or bed plate, is a piece of wood that is fastened along the top of a finished foundation (see diagram to left). This piece of wood acts as not only a support but also a connector between the foundation and remaining areas of the home.
The areas around many sill plates are often incorrectly maintained. Common problems are a result of new or improper grading and landscaping, improperly drained masonry, improperly installed masonry additions or a failure of existing building materials.
The Solution
The correction process involves excavating the area, inspecting the condition of the sill plate, making needed repairs and installing a waterproofing membrane. Once this has been done a drainage pipe and stone are installed to the area to remove the water before it can become a problem.
If the sill plate issue has been occurring for some time there is the possibility that it will need to be replaced. This is not a common occurence but it can happen. At that point the building must be stabilized, lifted off of the existing damaged sill and then have a new sill installed.
Being aware of your structure’s sill plate and taking action at the first sign of trouble may prevent the needless spending of a large sum of money.
