Foundation leaking. How to fix?

[Landscraper83]

I don’t know much about concrete.

Dirty water was slowly leaking in around the pipe that passes through the foundation and drains to our septic. I was originally just going to clean it up and drylok it.

Of course while cleaning it up i discovered I’m in a lot worse shape than I thought. All of the hydraulic cement (?) originally used to seal the gap between the pipe/foundation is crumbling away. After breaking off most of the big pieces I stuck a probe in there and just find what looks like mud.

After doing some google searching it seems like my best option is polyurethane injection.....because it’ll form a good seal even though there’s water/loose mud/concrete in the holes.

What can you guys recommend?

Thanks....

 

[kd3pc]

dig out around it and direct any water flow - elsewhere, down hill and away is easiest. It has to drain, the other options are just band aids.

Make sure the source of the "water" is not your septic leaking.

 

[Landscraper83]

The ground isn’t sloped towards the house. Digging an exterior hole would be an extreme pita so I’m trying to avoid that. Hoping there’s an interior option that’ll provide an adequate fix.

The water coming in doesn’t have any foul odor, just smells like dirt......so I’m -assuming- it’s just ground water.

Does there HAVE to be an existing issue? Can the cement used to plug the hole just be old and crumbling from natural causes, or maybe not done right to begin with? The house is 40 years old.

 

[Rory Bellows]

Clean you gutters. Most leaks in the basement are from clogged gutters.

 

[Landscraper83]

Gutters are clean and working properly.

I guess I should’ve been more clear about the extent of this leak. It would’ve been more accurate to say water slowly seeps in. At no time is there an actual puddle on the ground. Just some wet concrete below the pipe.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

Digging it up isn't fun but is necessar if you want to fix it right.
Gutters etc may have made the problem worse but at this point fixing them won't fix the area around the pipe.

 

[oilslick]

I used a kit from a radon place online to fix exactly the same issue on a water line at my old house. It was pretty slick, you build a dam or cap with a couple injection ports built in for the sealant which reminded me exactly of gorilla glue. It cured my issue that hydraulic cement just couldn't handle. Mine was a modern poured wall 9' with good waterproofing and lots of tiling and pea gravel.

 

[Jlbc212]

I've had a similar problem with my sewer line pipe. For several years after the house was built I had no problems. Then the mortar that was used to seal around the hole and the pipe began to crumble. I patched it with hydraulic cement on the inside of the foundation. That lasted for several years before it too failed. The last thing I used was an expansion foam that is commonly used in making outdoor water fountain ponds. When I applied it after cleaning out all the old mortar and hydraulic cement the concrete was still damp at one spot and the expansion foam never completely sealed that one spot. I still get a small bit of seepage there, but only when the frost in the ground is at just the right level at the beginning at end of the winter season. i'll have to research the kit Oilslick mentioned.

 

[wrenchguy]

scrape it , dry it and tool in some silicone caulk. wait and see what happens.

 

[Landscraper83]

I used a kit from a radon place online to fix exactly the same issue on a water line at my old house. It was pretty slick, you build a dam or cap with a couple injection ports built in for the sealant which reminded me exactly of gorilla glue. It cured my issue that hydraulic cement just couldn't handle. Mine was a modern poured wall 9' with good waterproofing and lots of tiling and pea gravel.

Any chance you remember what material you Used? Or, can dig up the website you ordered from?

 

[gfullman]

I believe oilslick is referring to this product: https://www.radonseal.com/crack-injection/diy-injection.htm

I used Polygem, which seems to be pretty similar. For the fairly sizable crack in my foundation, which was letting in water whenever snow was melting or heavy rain, it worked well.

Short of digging around the foundation and sealing from the outside, I think this is the only way to truly seal the crack, since the epoxy flows throughout the entire crack.

 

[manwithtools]

Had a similar problem, turned out to be a break in the drain line outside the foundation wall about 4 feet. The grey water will be filtered by the surrounding soil, so there may be no smell. Be sure about the source of the water, just sealing it up might not solve the root problem.

 

[Augus7us]

I used Polygem, which seems to be pretty similar. For the fairly sizable crack in my foundation, which was letting in water whenever snow was melting or heavy rain, it worked well.

Wow no kidding? I thought they only made sculpting stuff for fish tanks. In fact I bought a bunch of it after seeing it on the show "Tanked" for my saltwater tank.

-Clint

 

[gfullman]

Wow no kidding? I thought they only made sculpting stuff for fish tanks. In fact I bought a bunch of it after seeing it on the show "Tanked" for my saltwater tank.

-Clint

Yeah, found them through this article: https://www.thisoldhouse.com/how-to/fixing-cracks-concrete

Didn't know anything about the company, but the product worked out well. If I found more cracks in my foundation, I'd use it again (no affiliation with the company).

 

[Landscraper83]

So after some deliberation my current plan is to do a quick and dirty fix. Clean it up and get some polyurethane in there. It’ll either work or it won’t. If it doesn’t I’ll be looking at doing a more involved repair. Thanks everyone for the advice.....hopefully I won’t have to but it’ll be nice to have this thread as a reference in case this doesn’t work.

 

[Kevin54]

Patch around the pipe with hydraulic cement on the outside where it comes through, then seal with a rubberized sealer. Something like FlexSeal.

 

[larry4406]

I would be inclined to dig around the pipe, chip concrete to create a radial gap of 1-2” around the pipe, try to locally undermine under the slab 1-2”, then fill the excavation with hydraulic cement packed solid.

I have used the Flex Seal on a leaking window and was quite amazed.

 

[oilslick]

I believe oilslick is referring to this product: https://www.radonseal.com/crack-injection/diy-injection.htm

I used Polygem, which seems to be pretty similar. For the fairly sizable crack in my foundation, which was letting in water whenever snow was melting or heavy rain, it worked well.

Short of digging around the foundation and sealing from the outside, I think this is the only way to truly seal the crack, since the epoxy flows throughout the entire crack.

Yep its the pipe kit listed here,damn this forum is full of knowledge! What a great resource for most anything.

 

[tncatadjuster]

Take time to do it properly the first time. What you are doing is like going to the dentist for a cavity being filled. Clean, grind, remove all dust and properly treat concrete as directed by product. Some want a damp surface, some want primed.

Best of luck, hope it is a one shot procedure.

 

[Landscraper]

Let us know how it goes.

I have a very similar issue with our sewer stack as it exists the garage. Problem is the outside of the pipe is 8' underground on a slope so digging it out will not be fun. I would much rather seal it from the inside.

Nice name by the way

 

[machsnell]

Had a similar problem, turned out to be a break in the drain line outside the foundation wall about 4 feet. The grey water will be filtered by the surrounding soil, so there may be no smell. Be sure about the source of the water, just sealing it up might not solve the root problem.

How d it go?

The above happened to me. The cast iron pipe had cracked just outside my foundation (at head level in basement) and was leaking. It had been patched with hydraulic cement that was deteriorating. No evidence of crack inside.

When I dug up outside it was a swampy mess.

Unless you have groundwater there in shouldnt be a reason for mud outside since you say grading and gutters aren't the issue.

Try the quick fix but know that could be the issue.

Hyd cement should work.

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