Water coming in the basement.

[ive]

Hi everyone.

Just came to my new place and noticed water seeping from the wall. I’ve been cutting concrete so I noticed it because of the dust.

I have someone coming to grade the yard better as all the water seems to come to the house but what else can I do?

I’m also going to put new weeping tile around the perimeter, there’s currently something there but it’s been there forever.

Suggestions?

First and foremost, thank you garage journal community. I truly appreciate all your help always.

 

[ive]

Here’s a picture

Any ideas?

 

[Packard V8]

French drains is the commonly used term to correct that problem. It's labor-intensive and destroys any plantings along the foundation. To really do it right, also wrapping the foundation and footings with a waterproof membrane would be the "This Old House" cost-no-object solution. (loved the show since day one, but it really pisses me off they never give the real world costs to their otherworldly projects.)

jack vines

 

[regguy1]

Another possibility, Done from the inside. I used this method and no water in for 33 years since.
Cut a 12" section of floor away from the wall, break or drill holes in the cores of each bloc, install a plastic pipe to drain any water that accumulates in the blocks. Motar around the pipes, cover cut area with plastic re-concrete the cut area. I have an article about this method PM if you'd like me to email it to you

 

[acer66]

Installing a horizontal rubber membrane underground at the area, here some call it underground umbrella.

 

[FlaGman]

Make sure gutter and downspout is clear.

 

[acer66]

More than once I went out during heavy rain to see where water is going.

 

[BonzoHansen]

I had similar in my basement. It was all gutter runoff and grading issues.

 

[acer66]

I had similar in my basement. It was all gutter runoff and grading issues.

That is where to start.

 

[SteveH-CO]

Your downspouts should project at least 10' away from the house, or be connected to 4" flex pipe and carried even further away.

 

[tmcquinn]

Make sure gutter and downspout is clear.

I may have led a charmed life but every time I get water in a basement it's this...

 

[madison069]

Once you eliminate the downspout, gutter, yard grading, and broke water lines then it's time to think about french drains.

Due to the high cost of doing mine outside and having to rip the porch out, I decided to do a inside perimeter french drain. Just like regguy1 stated< i put a pipe around the floor perimeter and I then put a sump basin in the corner. In hind site I could have done without the sump basin and it's very possible I might remove the sump basin cause the issue apparently was the cinder blocks was filling up with water and had no where to go except through the walls. With the poked holes in the base the wall, the cinder block walls are now the driest I've ever seen those walls in the years I've lived in the house. Just make sure your foundation can drain well though or else you will have to depend on a sump basin.

 

[Bretny]

Usualy outside grading and proper downspout extensions will take care of this. Any type of footing drain would be my last resort.

You would be suprised how many houses in this area have no gutters or poor poor drainage. My house had no gutters for so long (before i owned it) the water falling off the roof made a trench on both sides of the house. This allowed it to sit there and soak into my basement. My other basement has the well in it. The well would overflow and there would be a river running along the dirt floor to the sump pump. I put in perf pipe to a sump pit then concrete underlayment and poured the floor. Its bone dry after that and a well seal.

 

[kctyphoon]

Drill a small hole in the cinderblock a few inches above the floor. Check and see if your walls are filled with water.

Water comes in usually one of 2 ways - from a high water table coming UP from the ground, or storm water coming DOWN .

If your hollow walls are filled with water - the easiest thing to prob do is just let it in. Drill holes In the walls low, use a membrane to direct it under the floor and let the water drain into a french drain in the basement floor along the walls that lead to a pump.

If it's only storm water u can prob address it from outside. Move gutters, regrade..

You can also try taping a piece of clear plastic on the wall and giving it a little time. If there's condensation forming behind it - ur walls may have water in them.

There's more to it obviously - but I can't type everthing out on the phone.

If it ground water - u might be able to get away with just a sump pump out or 2 if it's not THAT bad, before u go the whole french drain route. All depends how much water and how/where it's coming in. My neighbor has 4 sump pumps. I get away with one unless it rains really heavy too - then I get just a little on the floor

 

[Aquamoose]

I had issues with water percolating up from the floor at one corner of the basement in the spring due to bad soul compaction & drainage. I installed a drainage system where the downspout, area water, and sump pump drains into that which leads to a large dry well that captures lots of water yet percolates in the ground slowly over time. Last pic shows a sprinkler box that covers & protects the vent stack from the dry well using two large pressure tanks repurposed by drilling out holes in the bottom, cutting slots on the sides, and drilling out a 1” hole in the center of the rubber diaphragm.

I installed a French drain & sump well close to the wall and thus far, it’s working extremely well. Running the pipe behind the wall was a breeze. I added a ball valve fitting next to the wall after these pics for easier servicing of the pump.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ive]

It was the downspout. Gonna look at doing everything here in the thread and see what’s possible. Thanks so much everyone!

 

[zktk01]

one of my previous homes it would get water in the basement like that, just extending downspout away from house it took care of that problem. I hope you can get by with such a simple solution. I have extended a few on my new house by digging a ditch using 4 inch pvc at the end have a T dumping into a gravel pit, and flush mounting a drain with ground. it's quite a bit of work, but looks better than having the downs pout extensions above ground.

similar to this.

 

[BillK]

Looking at the "trail" of peeling paint on the wall it looks to me like it might be coming in from up high. I think the first thing you need to do is figure out exactly how it is getting into the wall. How about some pictures of the outside of the house at that corner ?

 

[Bretny]

It was the downspout. Gonna look at doing everything here in the thread and see what’s possible. Thanks so much everyone!

Extend them way out. May look goofy ontop of the ground and be a pain mowing but if it stays dry after heavy rains you have just found out how to fix it.