This consists of a gravel-embedded perforated pipe installed in a trench that slopes toward a drainage point. It’s a good solution for flooding caused by groundwater. Typically installed six to 24 ...

A “drain tile” refers to a system of perforated pipes laid along the foundation, inside or outside. Also known as French drains or perimeter drains, these system channels water away from the home.

Editor’s note: In light of recent rains, we are reprinting a timely column originally published June 6, 2009. We have a 1973 two-story house with a basement that we’ve owned for about two years. The ...

If you’re planning to finish your basement, you really need to eavesdrop on my advice to a reader named Dunc. He emailed me about his plan to replace basement carpet with laminate installed over ...

Chauncey grew up on a farm in rural northern California. At 18 he ran away and saw the world with a backpack and a credit card, discovering that the true value of any point or mile is the experience ...