Semi-Walkout

What is a Semi-Walkout basement? Well, I just do not know what else to call it. It is a walkout basement that comes out below grade. These may have interior steps that lead to the door, or open to a recessed area. These are built in water traps. The frost gets down to the weeping tile, and can produce issues. These warm weather southern designs work where there is free draining soils, no ground water within some distance, or no (little) frost penetration, or dry climates.

Wet year there are issues. Here, we can get storms that will dump 4 inches of water in one hour. The design storm. That is over 2 Imperial gallons per square foot. Now we need drains that will handle that amount of water. If you have a 500 square foot area, you need a pump system to handle 1000 gallons imperial per hour.

Any drain system with pump(s) is high maintenance. And then there is the issue of what to do with the water, and what about winter? Are you below the ground water level? if yes, will you be pumping water in the winter? now what about freezing and ice buildup? Ice kills lawns. Ice kills trees.