Leaking basement. - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

lndnpride · 10-26-2009, 11:59 PM

It's that time of year again,heavy downpours and leaking basements. Any hints or tips on hydrostatic leaking on older homes aside from the usual exterior fixes. Clients budget dictates trying to fix from the inside out.I know it"s ass backwards but thats what I'm faced with. Have already used a rubberized paint on sealer to good effect on the walls,problem is in the cold joint between the foundation wall and the footing(I'm assuming). I was thinking of chipping out a small grooved trench,filling with hydrostatic repair concrete and then going over it with the rubberizing paint a couple of times.Has anyone had any succes with this method, or will I just be creating a problem elsewhere? PS. I know about downspouts and drainage... looking for an inside fix ...if there is one. Cheers.

DarrenB · 10-27-2009, 12:03 AM

Hire a qualified water proofer. What you are proposing will not work. Also you might be better off going to the DIY section.

woodchuck2 · 10-27-2009, 12:04 AM

I have had great luck with Block Bond in the past. It sucks to mix but it spreads on decent depending on how you mix it. I have put it on block foundations that had water running through the joints and it would stop the leak.

angus242 · 10-27-2009, 12:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarrenB

Hire a qualified water proofer. What you are proposing will not work. Also you might be better off going to the DIY section.

Wow, he might be out of his scope but banished to DIY already seems a bit harsh, no?

lndnpride · 10-27-2009, 12:09 AM

Thanks for the reply, I know there is no easy fix, but you never know what might work.

lndnpride · 10-27-2009, 12:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarrenB

Hire a qualified water proofer. What you are proposing will not work. Also you might be better off going to the DIY section.

Thanks Darren, It's always nice to get positive and constructive feedback.

woodchuck2 · 10-27-2009, 12:14 AM

This is what i have used and it works great http://www.thenaturalhome.com/drystackblock.htm

lndnpride · 10-27-2009, 12:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by angus242

Wow, he might be out of his scope but banished to DIY already seems a bit harsh, no?

thanks Angus, DIY? Geezers "avin a laugh.

izzy · 10-27-2009, 09:57 AM

Without giving the water some relief you will only ad to the problem. If the hydraulic cement or any other water proofing does it job as intended it will keep the water out but will begin to build pressure (hydrostatic pressure). This pressure can become so severe as to crack and lift the floor slab. There is a technique that consists of cutting the floor slab 12" from the wall the entire perimeter and remove. Also cut out a spot for a sump pump pit. Dig a trench that drains to the pit and install perforated pipe, install a sump pump that pumps to the exterior. Install waterproof paneling to the walls to extend down to the newly dug trench. Back fill trench with washed rock or river rock. Pour removed sections of slab.

DarrenB · 10-27-2009, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by izzy

Without giving the water some relief you will only ad to the problem. If the hydraulic cement or any other water proofing does it job as intended it will keep the water out but will begin to build pressure (hydrostatic pressure). This pressure can become so severe as to crack and lift the floor slab. There is a technique that consists of cutting the floor slab 12" from the wall the entire perimeter and remove. Also cut out a spot for a sump pump pit. Dig a trench that drains to the pit and install perforated pipe, install a sump pump that pumps to the exterior. Install waterproof paneling to the walls to extend down to the newly dug trench. Back fill trench with washed rock or river rock. Pour removed sections of slab.

That is what you need to do. Sorry, about being so harsh before.

Bad mood.

lndnpride · 10-27-2009, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarrenB

That is what you need to do. Sorry, about being so harsh before.

Bad mood.

That is similar to what I have done in the past to good effect.Unfortunately the little old lady who owns the house cannot afford it. Since it is just a trickle at the moment I'm going to try my method along with a little exterior repair and see if that does the trick. It"s scary I know but it"s better than nothing. I'll let you know how it goes.No need to apologize,I have thick skin. I am new to this forum and I think it"s great.Hope you"re in a better mood today.

Scribbles · 10-27-2009, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by woodchuck2

This is what i have used and it works great http://www.thenaturalhome.com/drystackblock.htm

Oh my god, I live in cal, what the hell are they thinking, um earthquake, we strap our furniture to the walls. Dry stack are you kidding.

Sorry I am a bit speechless right now. I thought you needed to fix water issues with drainage and wrapping/coating the exterior of the basement with waterproofing membrane.

Michaeljp86 · 10-27-2009, 10:09 PM

Check outside the house, if water stays away from the foundation you wont have the water problems. If there isnt a gutter there put one up. Check downspouts too and make sure water stays away.

Michaeljp86 · 10-27-2009, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scribbles

I thought you needed to fix water issues with drainage and wrapping/coating the exterior of the basement with waterproofing membrane.

Thats how you cave in your basement walls. Just ask my dad who paid a company of 10k to fix the leaky walls. You have to dig up and replace the footer tile, thats probably the main cause of the problem. Then you can seal up the walls.

Scribbles · 10-27-2009, 10:31 PM

Thank god I don’t fix basements, lol. I was in a basement the first time about a month ago, got to love California.

RobQuillin · 10-27-2009, 11:15 PM

How old is the house? If the house is an older house there might not even be a drainage tile around it. I would first look at the grade around the house and see if the ground is sloping toward the foundation. Sometimes if someone plants landscaping around their house the unintentionally slope the grade up aroind the base of the plantings whick sometimes slopes the water back toward the foundation. Secondly look at the gutters and see if they have any and if they do make sure that they are discharging the water at least 3 feet away from the house. Most of the houses that I have come accross that have spot specific basement leaks are due to a faulty system of getting rid of the water before it gets below the ground surface.

izzy · 10-28-2009, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michaeljp86

Thats how you cave in your basement walls. Just ask my dad who paid a company of 10k to fix the leaky walls. You have to dig up and replace the footer tile, thats probably the main cause of the problem. Then you can seal up the walls.

Good point most people think that fixing the basement from the outside makes most since. I have seen allot a walls caved in and cracked by trying to expose them. That type of correction can be done and technically is probably the best, but it poses a major amount of risk, even for the most skilled professionals.
I have seen some basements that have the down spouts connected to drain tile that feed into a cistern located within the basement. This is where people would collect water before indoor plumbing was available.
The idea of checking drainage away from the house is a great idea and should be done first.

RobQuillin · 10-28-2009, 10:30 AM

I just hate to see someone spend alot of money and possibly make the situation worse because they overlooked the simple cause.

Dairylander · 10-28-2009, 11:18 AM

It's amazing how many of you don't even read the original post before answering.
The OP ends with:

Quote:

Originally Posted by lndnpride

PS. I know about downspouts and drainage... looking for an inside fix ...

You guys respond with:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michaeljp86

If there isnt a gutter there put one up. Check downspouts too and make sure water stays away.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobQuillin

...I would first look at the grade ...Secondly look at the gutters...

Unfortunately, Izzy is right, perimeter drain tile is the only effective interior fix. Anything else is just sticking your finger in a dike. Hydraulic cement may help a small crack, but if it's the joint between the wall and the footing as you surmised, the water will find another way in.
Good luck.

RobQuillin · 10-28-2009, 12:21 PM

I think that Dairlander is miss understanding what I was trying to get at. I did read the origional post and I did understand what he was saying. What my point is, is that unless you determine where the water problem is origionating from you are just going to be sinking time and money into fixes that might not even be the best fix. I have had to do exacly what Izzy was talking about and it helped some but there were still some issues intil I discovered where the water was coming from, Which was from behind some plantings where the owner had moved a plant and the grade in that one spot was creating a funnel effect when it rains. So when I say check the grade I am saying don't just glance around, I mean examine every aspect of the grade and drainage. Also if you read my post I was wondering about the age of the house. The age of the house gives clues as to where the problem spots can be steming from. Different eras used different techniques. If you just try to use a modern mindset to fix an old house it dosen't always work. So if you want a quick and easy fix without worrying about where it is coming from just polyurea the walls and floor of the house and be done with it. That way it will be sealed and if the water gets under it and does the hydraulic effect then maybe you can start realizing that until you get the water away from the house it will just be temporary.