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Greg_Z
Premium Member
join:2001-08-08
Springfield, IL

Greg_Z

Premium Member

Basement leak in one corner

We have a 70+ year old home, and have one corner in the basement, that is leaking when the water table gets to the point, that the water finds the weakest point, which happens to be just this one corner. Looking at the corner, there are three spots that are near the floor that you can see water leaking in, after you remove it with a shop vac.

My question is, what would be the overall cost estimate to have a Drywell put in place, with sump, which should remove the water. Around the foundation and floor, you can see where a Watergaurd type water removal system was put in, but this corner is becoming more of a PITA.

Fazoom
@covad.net

Fazoom

Anon

Dig up all the dirt on the outside of basement wall, install new waterproofing membrane on exterior walls, clean or replace the drainage pipes at foundation.

HRM
God Bless America
MVM
join:2002-02-03
Darien, CT

1 recommendation

HRM to Greg_Z

MVM

to Greg_Z
I can't help with an estimate, but I can tell you that often this is caused by an issue outside. Gutters that are not clean or empty the downspouts too close to the home are the first things to check. Sometimes a curtain drain can divert the flow down a hill to around the house, etc.

I would get waterproofing companies to give you a free evaluation and don't guide them to the pump. Let them suggest it

Regarding an estimate, labor can be very different from place to place and your specific situation can be easy or hard, so ballpark will only be very rough. You can rent a electric jack hammer, take out the concrete, then dig the dirt. Put in a plastic tub, gravel and pipe the pump yourself in a weekend, but get an expert to tell you that is what you need..

Greg_Z
Premium Member
join:2001-08-08
Springfield, IL

Greg_Z to Fazoom

Premium Member

to Fazoom
That is not doable, due to 1) Cost, and 2) one side of the house has the drive on it, and that would involve replacing the drive.

Jan Janowski
Premium Member
join:2000-06-18
Waynesville, NC
·Carolina Mountai..
Synology RT2600ac
Linksys E2000

1 edit

Jan Janowski to Greg_Z

Premium Member

to Greg_Z
Go to a place like Granger, and buy some Epoxy with Sand/Grit. Take a chisel and make the crack wider.. And then pack it with Epoxy mixed with Sand. You'll have to man it for an hour, re-packing it into the crack, but when it cures, it will be part of the foundation!

Obviously, do this when it is DRY.

It works!!!

Greg_Z
Premium Member
join:2001-08-08
Springfield, IL

1 edit

Greg_Z

Premium Member

I was looking at Quikrete's Hydraulic Cement for repairs such as this. The flow has tapered off today, so it is not as bad as yesterday.

Fixed the leak, but will have to look at putting a sump in to help relieve the Hydrostatic pressure behind the wall.

dennismurphy
Put me on hold? I'll put YOU on hold
Premium Member
join:2002-11-19
Parsippany, NJ

dennismurphy to Greg_Z

Premium Member

to Greg_Z
We installed a sump pit in our basement in April this year, and it's the best investment I've EVER spent on this house.

I believe I paid $1200 for the entire job -- breaking the floor, digging the pit, installing the liner, running a dedicated outlet & breaker, installing the pump, drilling through the basement wall and connecting with the underground stormwater piping outside the house that runs to the stormwater drain at the curb.

Best thing I ever did. I had the same problem -- water would build up in one corner after a heavy rain. It got worse over time -- eventually I was getting water in all 4 corners after very heavy rains. I've had *not one drop* since installing the sump pit.

Highly recommended!

Greg_Z
Premium Member
join:2001-08-08
Springfield, IL

Greg_Z

Premium Member

I am thinking just the same at this point, especially if it keeps up. It is almost like being the Dutch boy plugging the holes in the dike. I close it up at one point, and the water finds another week point.

I am pretty much slowing it down with the Hydro Cement, but this will most likely be my project this Winter, or come Spring before the rain starts.
BobKbta
join:2008-01-25
Scranton, PA

BobKbta

Member

The reason water will keep finding a new spot to come in is because there is water built up along your foundation. You should check things like the grade of your land and how your rain gutters are situated. Ideally, it's good to extend downspouts 10 feet away or more. STAND OUTSIDE when it is raining to see how surface water flows and if it is building up against your home. If so, grading should be a first priority. You can find some good info on »www.b-dry.com/wet-baseme ··· ons.html

Greg_Z
Premium Member
join:2001-08-08
Springfield, IL

Greg_Z

Premium Member

Grade is good, along with Gutters. It is because it is a Cinderblock wall that has settled about 1/4" in that corner. The house is over 70 years old, so it is expected to home some problems.

Later this year, we are going to have a sump well installed to help pull the water out on that side, which is the only part of the basement that has the problems.

In this part of town, the houses are older and are sitting on old Coal mine fills, so there tends to be junk and chunks of coal found when digging.

Rxdoxx

join:2000-11-03
Middle River, MD

Rxdoxx to Greg_Z

to Greg_Z
Couple of thoughts

Consider some kind of battery back-up, especially if you are prone to power failures during heavy storms.

Next, you could possibly even use the sump to relieve the pressure against the foundation walls.
I know my sump has 2 conduits coming into it from the house drain field outside. After a long heavy rain, my pump runs often for a day or so (and no water coming in visibly from the walls/floor), so it is relieving the hydrostatic pressure - that should really help your "Dutch boy syndrome".

Greg_Z
Premium Member
join:2001-08-08
Springfield, IL

Greg_Z

Premium Member

Last time it rained, we got a small bit of water about 2' up where I did not patch the corner. We have not had any more rain since the last storm, so just waiting to see what happens in Spring. I got the majority patched back in Early Dec., just have been concentrating on other projects such as the Electrical issue that I still have some areas to complete.

Warzau
Premium Member
join:2000-10-26
Naperville, IL

Warzau to Greg_Z

Premium Member

to Greg_Z
Maybe Ken or someone else can answer this. When I had my back up sump installed the company who did it or specifically the worker who did it said that the bucket in the pit wasn't adequate or was just standard. He said if I ever wanted to finish the basement to change it out. To get one that has holes along the wall of the bucket instead of a solid one to catch water under the slab. So in essence any water that is under the slab that is near the bucket would drain into it.

Does that make sense. BTW I think he was being honest. Since he said If I really wanted to I could drill the holes myself.

Greg_Z
Premium Member
join:2001-08-08
Springfield, IL

Greg_Z

Premium Member

Problem with that, is you need a top that seals, so that no water would come up through the bucket. Also another problem is, if you have floor drains, water can come up there also. I have been thinking about finishing just the one side under the Living Room some time soon, and leave the utility side unfinished.

Warzau
Premium Member
join:2000-10-26
Naperville, IL

Warzau

Premium Member

Oh it does seal, just like a standard bucket but has holes in the sidewalls. We do have drains but they have checkvalves.

I'm taking the same route. As you Greg.. We are going to finish the basement, we were told in reality just "protect" the finished areas and utilites. Area where are going to be used as storage can be left alone.

Greg_Z
Premium Member
join:2001-08-08
Springfield, IL

Greg_Z

Premium Member

Menard's has DriCore floor panels on sale right now. I am looking at going with them to help insulate that section, but I still need to do the walls, which would be the biggest PITA, due to I have to have some Copper, and two 12/2 lines rerouted up in the rafters, and the ductwork on the other side.

I am going to leave the old Coal Bin and try to incorporate it into the design.

Jehu
Premium Member
join:2002-09-13
MA

Jehu to Greg_Z

Premium Member

to Greg_Z
Just got a work estimate for what you're describing. About $1300 for everything.

Rxdoxx

join:2000-11-03
Middle River, MD

Rxdoxx to Greg_Z

to Greg_Z
Some reading on sump pump/pits
»en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sump_pump

Previous house (city row house, 3 steps up in the front/ walk out basement in the rear) would have a large pool of water seeping in after a lot of rain. Handyman dug a pit and used about a 20-30 gal decent trash can as the sump liner, shallow trench along the wall. Problem solved.

Current house, had a french drain at the bottom of the basement cellarway. Would get overwhelmed with a lot of rain. Contractor cut his way from there into the sump pit and moved the drainage to there (so now there are 3 outside feeds going into my pit). Unexpected expense, they had used a metal liner and it was rusted through in many places.

If you have a watertable issue you have to do more than insulate, have to waterproof, and since outside (best) isn't an option, inside sealing/waterproofing will only do so much. Sump can move volumes of water out of the area (and lower humidity in the basement).
Depending on where the coal bin is, you could even locate the pit in there and a shallow sloping trench along the wall to it in case waterproofing has any weakness.

Greg_Z
Premium Member
join:2001-08-08
Springfield, IL

3 edits

Greg_Z

Premium Member

The front of the house is against the slope going to the street, which is about 6' higher then street level, so pretty much everything runs downhill. It is just that one corner, which in the attached video, you can see the corner I am dealing with (The last part of the shot where the clothes are hanging). I am going to see what happens and go from there this Spring.

»youtube.com/watch?v=25Lf7zQiTCY

Rxdoxx

join:2000-11-03
Middle River, MD

Rxdoxx

I don't envy you, looks like at least a year's worth of work there LOL

Looks to me like bare cinderblock??
I've worked with both DryLoc and Behr's masonary waterproofer, really lowered the humidity of the basement
»www.ugl.com/drylokMasonr ··· reme.php is one product, and is tintable. Just read about it now, and it makes a pretty amazing claim for the water pressure it will withstand against it.

If you are putting flooring down, I'd definitely consider getting a waterproof coat on under it first.

Its a never-ending these projects

Greg_Z
Premium Member
join:2001-08-08
Springfield, IL

1 recommendation

Greg_Z

Premium Member

The floor and wall on the Utility side is painted with Drylok, which was done before the new furnace was installed. In all actuallity, it is not as messy as the picture shows. The basement is 25x25. And believe it or not, I did clean up the workshop a while back.