wet basement concrete

[awd_ftw]

hey guys, my home is 3 months old and I noticed 1 corner of the basement floor is damp. The basement is not finished, just has 2x4 studs, insulated and has vapor barrier. I called the builder and he told me to pull back the vapor barrier half way and to run a fan or dehumidifier. The concrete wall is dry and so are the insulation. The studs are semi wet appx up to 8" above the concrete floor. He explained to me since the concrete was poured in November 2013 that the concrete has moisture and still needs to dry out.

Has anyone with a new home experience this? I will grab a picture when I get home I'm just about to leave.

 

[bochnak]

If that were the case, wouldn't all 4 corners be equally wet?

I would look for hairline cracks in foundation letting water seep in.

 

[awd_ftw]

Yes this is on my mind too, I'm already running a dehumidifier 24/7 in the basement prior to this. the RH is 35% readings from my dehumidifier and hydrometer.

 

[bochnak]

Yes this is on my mind too, I'm already running a dehumidifier 24/7 in the basement prior to this. the RH is 35% readings from my dehumidifier and hydrometer.

I'd pull the vapor barrier and insulation near the leak and be ready to watch for a leak when it rains/snow melt.

I sealed 3 cracks with the polyurethane kits, pretty easy IMHO.

 

[Kevin54]

hey guys, my home is 3 months old and I noticed 1 corner of the basement floor is damp. The basement is not finished, just has 2x4 studs, insulated and has vapor barrier. I called the builder and he told me to pull back the vapor barrier half way and to run a fan or dehumidifier. The concrete wall is dry and so are the insulation. The studs are semi wet appx up to 8" above the concrete floor. He explained to me since the concrete was poured in November 2013 that the concrete has moisture and still needs to dry out.

Has anyone with a new home experience this? I will grab a picture when I get home I'm just about to leave.

B.S. If it's in one corner, you have a leak. If it was because the concrete hasn't cured, he's jerking your chain. They can pour concrete in water and it doesn't take 6 months to cure.

You don't say whether you have block walls or poured walls, but nonetheless, the foundation is not sealed properly on the outside of the foundation, therefore it is leaking.

Don't let him keep jerking you around. A properly sealed foundation, the basement may be cooler, but it will be dry.

Get the contractor out to your place and show him first hand that things are wet!!!!

 

[Rookie2]

Did he install french drains outside ? There may be poor waterproofing on the outside of the foundation in that corner. Is there a downspout drain near by ? Plan on digging the outside up and down to the footer !

 

[Cubby]

I live in the same area and this year was really cold. In my 8 year old house I had some frost on the portion of the basement wall above ground. Not much but it it warms up fast it can look like a leak (mu poly is sealed and the rim joist speayed foam so there should be no moisture getting in). It usually just disappears in the spring without a trace. With a new house the concrete still has moisture in it and it probably frosted up and is now melting.

Do you have a concrete basement floor or a suspended structural floor? I have a structural floor and some moisture can wick up in the foundation walls from the crawlspace even though its all sealed with poly and tape.

Its acutally more common in our northern climates:

http://homes.winnipegfreepress.com/...Icy-basement-walls-common-in-new-homes/id-93/

 

[C2 Turbo]

Quick question now that we are on the topic of basement concrete.

After excavation and before the concrete is poured, is there any insulation (besides the vapor barrier) that's laid down underneath the concrete?

Is there any insulation on the out side of the foundation walls?

Thanks

 

[sr71]

2nd the other Kevin....you've got a crack or similar (not a big deal but needs to be repaired ).... wait for the next thaw or rain and watch & take pics .....get the contractor onsite to witness / repair.

 

[G McKay]

I would say anything is possible if you poured your concrete in the winter and it is still winter. You just say that the concrete is "damp". What does that mean? Is there a puddle there? Or is the concrete just moist. Concrete takes several years to cure completely. So, if you build your house in the middle of a cold, moist winter, anything is possible. I would just keep an eye on it and see what happens. You might also want to check outside and see if the water is coming in where the electric comes through the wall. Or maybe the AC lines. Water could be coming in through them and running along the foundation and coming in. This happened when they built my house and it left a water stain on my indoor/outdoor carpeting in the family room. So, check that out too.

 

[awd_ftw]

I have poured walls, the builder used a black paint on the exteriorwall of the basement. I knew i should of upgraded to the delta wrap but was not in the budget.

 

[awd_ftw]

Did he install french drains outside ? There may be poor waterproofing on the outside of the foundation in that corner. Is there a downspout drain near by ? Plan on digging the outside up and down to the footer !

Yes I remember seeing drains along the perimeter that is emptied to the sump pit. I'll double check with the site supervisor.

I would say anything is possible if you poured your concrete in the winter and it is still winter. You just say that the concrete is "damp". What does that mean? Is there a puddle there? Or is the concrete just moist. Concrete takes several years to cure completely. So, if you build your house in the middle of a cold, moist winter, anything is possible. I would just keep an eye on it and see what happens. You might also want to check outside and see if the water is coming in where the electric comes through the wall. Or maybe the AC lines. Water could be coming in through them and running along the foundation and coming in. This happened when they built my house and it left a water stain on my indoor/outdoor carpeting in the family room. So, check that out too.

I just checked the A/c lines from the outside and the hole is sealed with foam. I attached a picture of the area affected. This was just before leaving work, ill try and pull the barrier off and get some pics of the wall.

 

[awd_ftw]

I live in the same area and this year was really cold. In my 8 year old house I had some frost on the portion of the basement wall above ground. Not much but it it warms up fast it can look like a leak (mu poly is sealed and the rim joist speayed foam so there should be no moisture getting in). It usually just disappears in the spring without a trace. With a new house the concrete still has moisture in it and it probably frosted up and is now melting.

Do you have a concrete basement floor or a suspended structural floor? I have a structural floor and some moisture can wick up in the foundation walls from the crawlspace even though its all sealed with poly and tape.

Its acutally more common in our northern climates:

http://homes.winnipegfreepress.com/...Icy-basement-walls-common-in-new-homes/id-93/

Thnks for the link. Whats the difference btwn the two flooring? During the build I would visit the house and I remember the basement walls had some ice build up. The article is bang on on whats happening.

 

[Kevin54]

I would say anything is possible if you poured your concrete in the winter and it is still winter. You just say that the concrete is "damp". What does that mean? Is there a puddle there? Or is the concrete just moist. Concrete takes several years to cure completely. So, if you build your house in the middle of a cold, moist winter, anything is possible. I would just keep an eye on it and see what happens. You might also want to check outside and see if the water is coming in where the electric comes through the wall. Or maybe the AC lines. Water could be coming in through them and running along the foundation and coming in. This happened when they built my house and it left a water stain on my indoor/outdoor carpeting in the family room. So, check that out too.

Where did you ever hear it takes several years to cure? It's a basement, not the Hoover Dam? I looked over all sorts of info on curing times, and the longest I see is up to one year, and that is going to be some thick concrete. At the most typical pours, you have the 28 days for maximum strength, and then 3-6 months for all moisture to go out. http://www.laticrete.com/portals/0/tds/tds183.pdf

I have poured walls, the builder used a black paint on the exteriorwall of the basement. I knew i should of upgraded to the delta wrap but was not in the budget.

Is it a black paint, or is it an asphalt sealer?

You do know what they say don't you? Spend it now, or spend more later.

From what I see, you have a foundation that is not sealed in the corner. How are your downspouts ran? Is it just a short elbow, or do you have the downs going out about 5' or so from the house? If not, then do so. If you have to mow up close to the house, then buy the downs that flip up, and add an extension to them to get the water away.

Also check your grade of ground. Is it higher at the house, then gradually slopes away? If not, then you better order a few loads of topsoil. You may also want to peel back the plastic that you have on the walls now and use something like Dry-Lok or UGL to coat the wall(s) inside.

One thing I see also in the picture is that it looks like there is moisture around the black drain pipe. Is there moisture there? And is so, just per chance, can it be coming from up around the pipe.

Like I said, don't let the contractor jerk you around. Get him there, have him look at it, and worst case, he brings in a backhoe and has to dig down at both walls. The walls should be sealed with an asphalt sealer that is normally sprayed on, and not a black paint.

Good luck, and be sure to document EVERYTHING!!!!

 

[Cubby]

The reason I don't think its a leaking crack in the foundation wall is because it is still winter here - there has been no melt to speak of yet. So i'm not sure where the water would be coming from.

My sump has not run since October last year - everything is still frozen.

 

[DenisG]

I had a problem like this in my old home. Too much water accumulated from a downspout near the problem location. I solved it burying a drain pipe so the water would run off to a dry well that I planted away from the house. Try to find the cause of the problem outside.

 

[dieselgarage]

I have a spot like that that appears right in the middle of by basement floor after extend rains. The only thing I can figure is the water is coming up through the floor. Just another idea.

 

[awd_ftw]

Where did you ever hear it takes several years to cure? It's a basement, not the Hoover Dam? I looked over all sorts of info on curing times, and the longest I see is up to one year, and that is going to be some thick concrete. At the most typical pours, you have the 28 days for maximum strength, and then 3-6 months for all moisture to go out. http://www.laticrete.com/portals/0/tds/tds183.pdf



Is it a black paint, or is it an asphalt sealer?

You do know what they say don't you? Spend it now, or spend more later.

From what I see, you have a foundation that is not sealed in the corner. How are your downspouts ran? Is it just a short elbow, or do you have the downs going out about 5' or so from the house? If not, then do so. If you have to mow up close to the house, then buy the downs that flip up, and add an extension to them to get the water away.

Also check your grade of ground. Is it higher at the house, then gradually slopes away? If not, then you better order a few loads of topsoil. You may also want to peel back the plastic that you have on the walls now and use something like Dry-Lok or UGL to coat the wall(s) inside.

One thing I see also in the picture is that it looks like there is moisture around the black drain pipe. Is there moisture there? And is so, just per chance, can it be coming from up around the pipe.

Like I said, don't let the contractor jerk you around. Get him there, have him look at it, and worst case, he brings in a backhoe and has to dig down at both walls. The walls should be sealed with an asphalt sealer that is normally sprayed on, and not a black paint.

Good luck, and be sure to document EVERYTHING!!!!

My downspouts are not installed yet, builder is waiting until the sidings are finish in the spring which hopefully soon. The grade is sloping away from the house and there is no ice or snow. The hvac installer shoveled it for me to install the a/c unit lol. The moisture does extend all the way to the pipe, I examined the pipe and there is no sign of a leak.

I double checked my blueprints and this is what is says:

Basement Floor Construction:
4" concrete slab on 6 mil poly vap. barrier
6" Min. slopped granular fil
4" perforated drain tile on undisturbed soil in 8" stone cover slope to drain in sump

Basement Walls:
Asphaltic damp proofing
8" reinf. conc. foundation wall 3.5" air space 2x4 wood studs @24 o/c
6 mil poly vap. barrier.

 

[awd_ftw]

If i cut through the vapor barrier (ceiling to floor), can I use that red tuck tape to tape them back together?

 

[Kevin54]

My downspouts are not installed yet, builder is waiting until the sidings are finish in the spring which hopefully soon. The grade is sloping away from the house and there is no ice or snow. The hvac installer shoveled it for me to install the a/c unit lol. The moisture does extend all the way to the pipe, I examined the pipe and there is no sign of a leak.

I double checked my blueprints and this is what is says:

Basement Floor Construction:
4" concrete slab on 6 mil poly vap. barrier
6" Min. slopped granular fil
4" perforated drain tile on undisturbed soil in 8" stone cover slope to drain in sump

Basement Walls:
Asphaltic damp proofing
8" reinf. conc. foundation wall 3.5" air space 2x4 wood studs @24 o/c
6 mil poly vap. barrier.

No gutters or downs are part of your problem. Water is running off the roof and saturating the soil close to the house.

You have an asphalt water proofing.

Are you currently living in the house, or just visiting until things are completed? The reason I ask, is that the perforated drain pipe outside at the base of the foundation on stone. It should have a geo-textile fabric over it. If it is running to a sump pump, I am assuming the sump pump is inside the basement. Is the sump pump operable?

If the sump pump is operable, where is it draining to? If it is draining up and out, does the drain line have a check valve in it? If it does or doesn't, is the sump pump capable of handling the amount of water coming in?

If the sump pump is on the inside of the basement, is the float stuck? If the float sticks in the down position, the pump won't switch on and the pit will overflow.

If perchance that black pipe is the drain pipe for the sump pump, are the joints completely glued?

And then, when they backfilled around the house, it's possible that a boulder may have scraped off some sealer, or it may be possible that you have a crack behind the plastic.

That's just some things to check. Some things you cannot check unless you witnessed the builders do it is put the plastic down before pouring the floor.

And there are various options to remedy the problem if the contractor can't or won't. One is to tile INSIDE the foundation which involves cutting the floor all the way around, install tile, then concrete back over it. Then they have a channel that goes around the perimeter that will channel the water to the sump pit. Neither of which I would want done after the fact, but may be a necessary evil in the future.

 

[Kevin54]

If i cut through the vapor barrier (ceiling to floor), can I use that red tuck tape to tape them back together?

Yes you can.

 

[CJM8515]

I just went thru the same sorta thing at my house, block walls and we had water leeching in from the outside and turning black form the minerals in the water. We paid a company to come and dig up all the french drains and they found the stupid cheapo pliable flex black tubing to be crushed. Replaced everything with PVC piping, added another sump pump, put new vapor barrier in and no issues since. Once they got a foot down they took a 1" drill and drilled 3 holes in every block and water POURED out like a facet.

The home is ten years old and the builder did a poor job in my case. Call your builder back if its new construction!

 

[Jess]

If you are having issues with work that the builder did, you should expect that the builder will make good any necessary repairs, including removal of the wet insulation, leak resolution and replacement. Does Manitoba have a Home Warranty Program? The moisture behind the vapour barrier would be a concern for mold growth, a known health issue. Hope this is just a small issue and the builder steps up to the resolution for you.

Jess

 

[winnipegtibook]

I think you need to pull some vapor back and see what's behind it. It will take you maybe 15 minutes. If you are replacing the insulation, really think about using "Ultratouch" (recycled denim) which can be purchased at Menards. I have it throughout my garage and it's amazing, great R-value, and really hardy (re- mold, water, etc).

If your house is new (sounds like it is), it would be covered under one of those fancy new home warranties, no?

Our abode is 100 years old...that warranty wore out many generations ago.

And speaking of building, did you figure out if you HAVE to build the garage with this builder?

 

[The Cobbler]

Are there any water pipes nearby? I'm wondering of you have a leak...
I see a plumbing stack so there has to be water & drains nearby. start to look for a water leak

 

[awd_ftw]

Just an update, builder sent someone over to investigate. It was raining and noticed water entering the window. He pulled the vapor barrier and the wood/batt is soaked. He looked outside and said they still have to finished the exterior and apply a product called blue seal around the windows and that will seal it up nice and tight.


Thanks everyone for the suggestions!