VERT / GREEN
Observe where rain/snow water goes before excavating or lowering the threshold.
Exterior basement entry and drainage
Coordinate stairs, side walls, guards, threshold, drain, possible pump, snow and grading to avoid creating a water basin against the foundation.
JAUNE / YELLOW
A below-grade entrance depends on reliable drainage and a watertight threshold/foundation detail.
ROUGE / RED
Drain without reliable outlet, excavation near footing, retaining wall or non-compliant egress: design/permit required.
Interactive triage
Helps choose the next step; does not replace design, permits or professional diagnosis.
Useful tools and data
- Grades/elevations
- Drain outlet
- Foundation plan
What the professional checks
- Verify stability/excavation
- Size drainage
- Detail threshold/waterproofing
Official sources
Checked 2026-08-22.
Related path
Continue with the right tools
These links connect this page to the next useful checks and decisions without repeating the full content.
Start from a symptomOrganize plausible causes, observations, urgency and the right professional.Open →Track water useCompare meter readings and flag unusual changes.Open →Review water resilienceConnect flooding, drainage and future events to building adaptations.Open →Score home resiliencePrioritize water, outages, fire, climate, health and records.Open →Plan site, drainage and utilitiesCoordinate access, water, sewer, wells, septic, grading and site constraints.Open →
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