Author Topic: Basement Repair (Read 6093 times)

EllToPay · « **on:** July 07, 2010, 01:16:04 PM »

I have a cinder block basement that leaks when there is a hard rain. There are some cracks in the walls that the water seeps through.

I know ultimately its a foundation problem, but can I just fill the cracks to stop the flooding in the short term?

Also, please include some elite terms that I can impress my new wife with.

steve dave · « **Reply #1 on:** July 07, 2010, 01:17:54 PM »

I'll take this one fellas:

You should make your basement out of boats.

EllToPay · « **Reply #2 on:** July 07, 2010, 01:19:09 PM »

Thanks, SD. Mods please lock thread.

OK_Cat · « **Reply #3 on:** July 07, 2010, 01:37:19 PM »

ridiculous. the basement would float away, then you've got a house with no basement.

steve dave · « **Reply #4 on:** July 07, 2010, 01:38:10 PM »

Quote from: OK_Cat on July 07, 2010, 01:37:19 PM

ridiculous. the basement would float away, then you've got a house with no basement.

make the house out of boats, hth

OK_Cat · « **Reply #5 on:** July 07, 2010, 01:38:47 PM »

i need an mspaint spec drawing on how this would work

ChiComCat · « **Reply #6 on:** July 07, 2010, 01:39:46 PM »

Quote from: EllToPay on July 07, 2010, 01:19:09 PM

Also, meant to say cinder block.

Thanks, SD. Mods please lock thread.

Start calling the basement a cistern. Makes your house seem eco-friendly and hip, upping property value. Whenever Pexican gets mad about a similar issue, I tell him "Thats what you get for living in a cistern!"

hemmy · « **Reply #7 on:** July 07, 2010, 01:44:39 PM »

Get a bunch of jacks, raise up the house, then just bury the jacks in the new foundation, and make sure your yard is sloped away from the house

ew2x4 · « **Reply #8 on:** July 07, 2010, 02:02:08 PM »

You're gonna need to get a professional on this asap.

EllToPay · « **Reply #9 on:** July 07, 2010, 02:06:56 PM »

Quote from: ew2x4 on July 07, 2010, 02:02:08 PM

You're gonna need to get a professional on this asap.

what am i looking at in terms of price?

ew2x4 · « **Reply #10 on:** July 07, 2010, 02:45:46 PM »

Quote from: EllToPay on July 07, 2010, 02:06:56 PM

Quote from: ew2x4 on July 07, 2010, 02:02:08 PM
You're gonna need to get a professional on this asap.

what am i looking at in terms of price?

Depends on the scale of damage. It could be anything from just laying a new drain mat to completely reconfiguring how your drainage works. I'd start off by walking near the area during a rain storm and seeing if you can tell any noticeable drainage issues. Make sure gutters are getting everything away from the house. Make sure they're unclogged. If you don't see anything out of the ordinary, just call around for a free estimate.

Saulbadguy · « **Reply #11 on:** July 07, 2010, 02:47:13 PM »

Thousands of dollars.

Poster formerly known as jthutch · « **Reply #12 on:** July 07, 2010, 02:54:35 PM »

hydraulic cement! You can get it at Lowes/Home Depot. Sets really fast and will set up under water. Had this same problem and worked like a charm.

EllToPay · « **Reply #13 on:** July 07, 2010, 03:13:35 PM »

Quote from: jthutch on July 07, 2010, 02:54:35 PM

hydraulic cement! You can get it at Lowes/Home Depot. Sets really fast and will set up under water. Had this same problem and worked like a charm.

yeah, but this doesn't completely solve the problem, right?

Poster formerly known as jthutch · « **Reply #14 on:** July 07, 2010, 03:24:43 PM »

Well depends on how big the cracks are. It can solve the problem it they are 1/2" or smaller. I also painted over it with water sealing paint (can't remember the name) have not had a leak in 3 years.

My old house (rental) had the same problem with cender block walls and I used expanding foam for a temperay fix. Didn't leak again but probably not structurally proper.

steve dave · « **Reply #15 on:** July 07, 2010, 03:26:36 PM »

that Holmes on Homes guy would kick the living eff out of you if he heard you say stuff like that

ew2x4 · « **Reply #16 on:** July 07, 2010, 03:32:15 PM »

Quote from: jthutch on July 07, 2010, 03:24:43 PM

Well depends on how big the cracks are. It can solve the problem it they are 1/2" or smaller. I also painted over it with water sealing paint (can't remember the name) have not had a leak in 3 years.

My old house (rental) had the same problem with cender block walls and I used expanding foam for a temperay fix. Didn't leak again but probably not structurally proper.

I guarantee you that have the most wicked crap growing in your wall.

ew2x4 · « **Reply #17 on:** July 07, 2010, 03:35:44 PM »

What kind of cracks are they? horizontal? Vertical? On the corner? near the center of the wall?

Poster formerly known as jthutch · « **Reply #18 on:** July 07, 2010, 03:44:00 PM »

Quote from: ew2x4 on July 07, 2010, 03:32:15 PM

Quote from: jthutch on July 07, 2010, 03:24:43 PM
Well depends on how big the cracks are. It can solve the problem it they are 1/2" or smaller. I also painted over it with water sealing paint (can't remember the name) have not had a leak in 3 years.

My old house (rental) had the same problem with cender block walls and I used expanding foam for a temperay fix. Didn't leak again but probably not structurally proper.

I guarantee you that have the most wicked crap growing in your wall.

Nope nothing growing on my walls. No water in the basement either. The basement is now a finished basement and I have yet to have the least bit of problem with moisture. We had 14 inches of rain in the past 3 days not a drop came in the finished area. The unfinished as not been treated yet and have 1 small leak that I need to repair but it's next to the sump pump and I don't really need to mess with it now.

ew2x4 · « **Reply #19 on:** July 07, 2010, 03:58:56 PM »

In. Not on. The moisture barrier is meant to keep moisture out of the wall cavity. That's why the hotels in the 80's had so many mold issues. They used vinyl wall covering. That basically trapped moisture in the walls. Hopefully your cmu walls have grout in them so plants aren't growing in them. If you have a concrete wall basement, patching is fine. CMU block basements are iffy on patching, let alone putting up a moisture barrier on the wrong side of the wall. If you're gonna be there for only a few years, it probably doesn't matter.

EllToPay · « **Reply #20 on:** July 07, 2010, 04:07:27 PM »

Quote from: ew2x4 on July 07, 2010, 03:35:44 PM

What kind of cracks are they? horizontal? Vertical? On the corner? near the center of the wall?

a couple <1/8" inch cracks horizontal, and near the center

pissclams · « **Reply #21 on:** July 07, 2010, 04:17:34 PM »

Quote from: EllToPay on July 07, 2010, 04:07:27 PM

Quote from: ew2x4 on July 07, 2010, 03:35:44 PM
What kind of cracks are they? horizontal? Vertical? On the corner? near the center of the wall?

a couple <1/8" inch cracks horizontal, and near the center

sounds like this japanese girl i did back in high school

CHONGS · « **Reply #22 on:** July 07, 2010, 04:22:11 PM »

Quote from: pissclams on July 07, 2010, 04:17:34 PM

Quote from: EllToPay on July 07, 2010, 04:07:27 PM
Quote from: ew2x4 on July 07, 2010, 03:35:44 PM
What kind of cracks are they? horizontal? Vertical? On the corner? near the center of the wall?

a couple <1/8" inch cracks horizontal, and near the center

sounds like this japanese girl i did back in high school

wow it just got rough ridin' racist up in here.

wow, I am completely flabbergasted, that came out of nowhere. I had no idea 'sclams has such a problem with people from the great Orient.

CHONGS · « **Reply #23 on:** July 07, 2010, 04:23:00 PM »

Also, check that you didn't rot out your joists. If you did you are mumped and looking at upwards of 50K to fix.

pissclams · « **Reply #24 on:** July 07, 2010, 04:23:41 PM »

Quote from: Chingon on July 07, 2010, 04:22:11 PM

Quote from: pissclams on July 07, 2010, 04:17:34 PM
Quote from: EllToPay on July 07, 2010, 04:07:27 PM
Quote from: ew2x4 on July 07, 2010, 03:35:44 PM
What kind of cracks are they? horizontal? Vertical? On the corner? near the center of the wall?

a couple <1/8" inch cracks horizontal, and near the center

sounds like this japanese girl i did back in high school
wow it just got fracking racist up in here.

wow, I am completely flabbergasted, that came out of nowhere. I had no idea 'sclams has such a problem with people from the great Orient.

i ate at panda express today, GTFOOMF