Leaking Basement Foundation Repairs

Frequently Asked Questions

1. QUESTION:
   What Are The Best Concrete Crack Repair Kits To Repair Basement Wall Cracks?
   We have an 8 ft crack in our basement foundation wall. The crack is approximately 1/16 of an inch and water is coming in through the crack.

   What is the best concrete crack repair kit that will stop water that is currently coming in and to completely seal out water in the future.

   • ANSWER:
     I would definitely recommend FoundationArmor.com . They have the best concrete crack repair kits that activate with water to stop leaks and to seal out water. We used their kit and it worked great! Very easy and if you need help their customer service is excellent.

2. QUESTION:
   How to fix leaky rod holes in foundation?
   I have leaky rod holes in the basement (poured concrete foundation). The builders have not plugged some of the holes and now they are leaking whenever we have lots of rain or water on that side of the house (I live in a townhouse; between the houses, I managed to drain the gutters away from the foundation, but sometimes, when it is windy, the wind pushes the rain towards the house and then it starts leaking). I looked at some solutions like injection, but it quite expensive. A friend of mine fixed the same problem with some silicone in the holes.

   Any other solutions out there?

   • ANSWER:
     The good news is that you know exactly where the problem is. These problem areas were created when the foundation was built. After the forms were set up, metal rods called form ties or snap ties were slipped through small holes in each side and connected to temporary braces on the outside of the forms. After the concrete sets up, the forms are stripped off the walls and the ends of the ties are snapped off just below the surface of the concrete. This leaves a small pock mark in the foundation wall at every tie location, which should be filled with hydraulic cement to protect the ties still in the concrete. If water gets to the ties they’ll rust, and if they rust long enough they’ll let water leak into the basement.
     The repair? This Old House contractorTom Silva says to use a cold chisel and chisel around each tie location to create a hole anout 1/2 in. deep and a couple inches in diameter. Then clean out as much of the deteriorated form tie as possible and fill the area with hydraulic cement. Work quickly–hydraulic cement sets up in a hurry!

     Here’s more on hydraulic cement, as well as other ways to keep water from getting into your basement:

     http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/video/0,,20057861,00.html?xid=yahoo-answers&partner=yes

3. QUESTION:
   Do private home inspectors typically qualified to comment on foundation repairs?
   Obvouisly I’d want to find out before hiring him but i thought I’d get an idea here too.

   I’m looking at buying a house which had 4 leaks in the basement as well as some foundation work at the I-beam.
   This was all done over 10 years ago and hasn’t been a problem since.

   Is a private home inspector normally qualified to comment on the foundation or you want to hire a structural engineer to look at it?

   • ANSWER:
     Most home inspectors will give you an overview, what you will need is a foundation engineer to check out the repairs needed. A home inspector in many states may have done some construction work but they weren’t even licensed contractors.

4. QUESTION:
   How can I repair a leaky basement foundation?
   When it rains heavily, I get a couple puddles of water on my basement floor. The concrete driveway outside runs up to the foundation, and the driveway slopes slightly downwards as it reaches the foundation. It is only in this spot that my basement leaks. It doesn’t flood, but the basement is used for recreation, so I would like to know if I can repair this myself.

   • ANSWER:
     My dad this by putting a drainage system in our back yard. That way you can dirrect the water somewhere besides your basement.

     Ill try to tell you how he did it. He rented a back hoe and dug trenches in our yard. Then put this special pipe in it and drilled small holes on the top so the water will go in. Then he covered it with crushed stone. Then he put dirt on top of that. Then just put down some grass seed, and your back in business.

     Any home improvement store shoudl be able to give you other ideas. But this is what i got on the top of my head.

5. QUESTION:
   How do i fix the leak in my basement?
   i have a very leaky basement that looks like a waterfall everytime it rains, and i live in oregon so thats a lot. i have had a few people over and nobody knows what to do for it. does anybody know who i would contact in this type of situation?
   this isnt no small little leak either, it will fill up my basement with 3 feet of water in a 1 hour time period. and i have tried a plumber and that hasn’t worked out to well because they dont deal with these kind of issues.
   and on the outside of the wall is 4 concrete steps so i have to work around that and a deck with pipes connecting to a hot tub.
   it is coming for a hole by the concrete steps
   which is from the wall

   • ANSWER:
     I also live in Oregon and the proper way to fix problems like this is something called a “french drain”. You mentioned that you have a ‘hole by the concrete steps”. If this was the ONLY problem then you could see about rerouting the water from that point to another by digging a trench where the stream starts and then have it diverted away from where it is going into the ground. But I venture a guess that you have a spring near your foundation and the water is really coming from it. When it rains, the spring is active and your foundation can’t handle the water – hence you get the waterfall.

     Step 1 – invest in a submercible pump (if you haven’t already). Some people in Oregon can never get rid of the water and simply have a three foot home dug in their foundation and the pump sits in this hole. When water fills the hole it immediately begins pumping the water out a hose to a place you decide.

     Step 2 – look in the phone book for a company that does excavations and ask if they install French drains. A proper French drain would be dug outside your house and would be deep enough that whatever water level the water is running at (where the spring is) – in my case about 4 feet down – a perforated pipe is put in, then it is filled with gravel and the water is re-reouted away from your basement. They can deal with the problems of steps, landscaping, etc.

     Step 3 – check with your homeowners insurance (or ask your landloard to do it). If this leak wasn’t “always” there then the repairs may be covered by insurance. The longer you wait, the harder this will be to prove. And if it was there when you purchased the house but you weren’t told of the problem, ask a realtor about non-disclosure.

     Hope this helps. The other answers are helpful, but no one mentioned the key phrase – french drain!

6. QUESTION:
   Limestone foundation: is it worth the cost of finishing the basement?
   I have a 90+ year old house with crumbly, limestone foundation. The unfinished basement only leaks in extreme weather (once/year, just enough to stain the floor, but not puddle). I’d like to reclaim some square footage by turning the space into an office/living area. What moisture factors should I be aware of? How can I minimize the threat of water damage? Would finishing the attic be a better idea?

   Thanks in advance.

   • ANSWER:
     An important factor here is your outside drainage. Another no so important is basement ceiling height (your home’s age usually indicates a lower ceiling).

     Hopefully your drainage is such that it can be easily cleaned or updated. If part of the basement is above ground, that is you live on a hill, then you are home free. That is the best way to fix your moisture problem and because this would be a necessary fix to your home anyway, this could be considered a non cost to your project.

     Ceiling height is important for comfort, air quality and resale value. If your ceiling is lower than eight feet, consider “digging down”. Look at costs and feasibility. This would also be a repair needed regardless of the finishing.

     My preference would be to finish the basement and would do so unless either of these improvements show to be cost prohibitive.

7. QUESTION:
   Can rubber undercoating be used to stop my basement from leaking?
   My basement leaks. And the liquid rubber paint costs like 150 bucks a can. So i was thinking I could buy a can of rubber undercoatin and it would do the same thing. Would it?

   • ANSWER:
     Here are the most effective ways to repair the cracks and waterproof your foundation or basement floor:

     * patch the cracks with hydraulic cement compounds and apply waterproof paint or hydraulic cement on the inside wall
     * injected the cracks with specially formulated epoxies or polyurethane grouts and apply waterproof paint or hydraulic cement on the inside wall

8. QUESTION:
   What is a partial basement that is not usable mean?
   Our real estate agent says that the house we’re looking out has a partial basement with access from outside, although we didn’t see anything that looked like a cellar?? She says it is unusable. I’m confused. We’re just looking for something incase of a tornado, we live in missouri..
   Thanks!

   • ANSWER:
     She means you can’t finish it off for living space or use it to store things. It’s wet and damp. It may be good enough for a place to go in case of tornado, but check it out for yourself before you buy. Often a wet basement can be corrected by adding soil to the area next to the foundation and creating a slope away from the house, and then clearing out and repairing any leaking rain gutters and making sure the downspouts carry water to a point where it drains away from the house.

9. QUESTION:
   what is the best product to use to repair cracks in a basement cement foundation.?
   it leaks from one point but the thin crack runs all the way up

   • ANSWER:
     We’re replacing our floors and found a great product called “Squeeze and Fill”. It is an elastomeric product that has a nozzle at the end that you snip off and squeeze right into the concrete crack. It works great and is flexible so when the floor expands/contracts it moves with the crack.

     Home Depot carries it and probably other hardware stores.

10. QUESTION:
    What happens if you leave the garden hose attached to the outdoor spigot during winter?
    One winter we did leave the hose attached and the next spring we turned the spigot on. And the water leaked into the basement behind where the spigot is attached to the house. So what exactly happened? What needs to be repaired?

    • ANSWER:
      The pipe in the wall burst, due to the water freezing and expanding the pipe. With the hose on, the water says in the pipe. This is a major repair Because the pipe is no doubt in the concrete foundation.

      If the hose had been taken off, before the winter freeze, the water wouldn’t have remained in the pipe. With the hose off, when you turn the handle off, the handle is on the outside but the stop valve is way down the pipe, where it won’t freeze. So sorry to hear that this happened. But I am sure you’ll never make the same mistake twice after this. Good luck on the repair.

11. QUESTION:
    What is the best way to find a leak in your basement and repair it?
    When it rains really hard in the spring my basement floods… I know where on the house the water is coming in, generally, but what is the best method to fix a hole in the foundation of the house.

    • ANSWER:
      Hello, the best repair for a hole in the foundation, if you can get to it, is to mix up some concrete and re-pack the hole.Clean the hole of all loose debris and dirt, make sure that one side is closed off,cut a piece of plywood six inches wider and six inches taller than the size of the hole.This will close the other side of the hole.Position the plywood over the hole and mark a two inch by two inch notch in the top-center, then cut that out,this will allow us to fill our hole with concrete.Begin by mixing concrete to a fairly stiff consistency and packing it firmly into the hole.When concrete no longer stays in the hole brace or attach the cut piece of plywood to the wall with the notch just below the top of the hole.Continue packing concrete until the hole is full,finish the 2×2 spot of concrete with a trowel,wait a day for the concrete to set and remove the plywood. At that point you can mix a small amount of mortar an finish off the face of the patch smoothly.Hope this helps:-)

12. QUESTION:
    How much does it cost to waterproof a basement?
    I have seepage in my basement through cracks in the cement foundation & through cinder block walls.

    • ANSWER:
      Stop any leaks from the edges of your home. Check around the outside of your house. Make sure the ground does not slope towards the foundation. If it does, use a shovel to raise it. You can do this by adding dirt sloping away from the foundation. The dirt should be slopped between 1 and 2 inches per foot, and extend approximately 10 feet out.
      Step2Maintain downspouts and gutters. It is very important to have properly working gutters and downspouts. Clear the gutters of any debris. Check to be certain your downspouts release the water 5 feet or more away from the foundation of the house. You can use a splash block at the base of your downspouts to do this.
      Step3Check your landscaping. Make sure any type of landscaping (trees, bushes, flowers or any other plants) is no closer than 1 foot from the foundation. Also be sure to slope around landscaping to keep water away from the house.
      Step4Get rid of condensation. If moisture gathers on the surfaces of the basements floors, walls or cold water pipes, the basement needs better ventilation. Insulate the cold water pipes and make sure you maintain the ventilation of your basement by using heat in the cold months and air conditioning in the hotter months. Sunlight and a dehumidifier will also help get rid of condensation in your basement.
      Step5Fix any holes or cracks. Check the interior walls of the basement for cracks or holes. The area around pipes is a common leakage area. You can use regular patching mortar and a trowel for these types of small repairs.
      Step6Waterproof your interior walls. You can use specially made cement formulas to waterproof the interior walls of the basement. Many of these unique formulas will even stop small leaks.
      Things You’ll Need:
      Shovel
      Dirt
      Gutters
      Downspouts
      Splash block
      Pipe insulation
      Dehumidifier
      Patching mortar
      Trowel
      Cement formulas (epoxy or latex)

      Repair hairline cracks smaller than 1/8 inch using a waterproofing mix. You need to clean out and patch larger cracks. Make sure you wear work gloves when handling chemicals.
      Step2Make your mortar fill cracks and holes. Mix one part cement and two parts fine sand with enough water to make a fairly stiff consistency.
      Step3Apply your mortar using a trowel or putty knife into cracks where water simply seeps through the wall. If outside pressure forces water through the wall, chip out a dovetail groove using a chipping chisel and hammer along the entire length of the crack.
      Step4Fix holes in the wall the same way by chipping out the broken area in a dovetail groove. Once you’ve chipped away all of the broken area around the hole, fill it with your mortar mixture and smooth it out with a trowel.
      Step5Insert a weep pipe through the wall if the outside water is trapped against the wall and is under pressure to escape. Insert the weep pipe where the wall and floor meet or where the pressure is greatest.
      Step6Fill the crack completely with mortar where you installed the weep pipe, beginning at the top and working to the bottom. Set the mortar until thoroughly dry. If the water running through the pipe slows to a trickle, remove the pipe and fill the hole. Leave the pipe in place if water is still significantly running and run this water into a sewer drain with a hose.
      Step7Remove the pipe, patch the hole and make a cement plug by rolling your mortar mixture into a cone shape that’s a bit larger than the hole. Put the cone’s smaller end into the hole where you removed the pipe and tap it into place. Hold the plug for five minutes until it’s set. Now you’re ready to waterproof.
      Waterproof the wall and floor
      Step1Moisten the basement walls with a gardening hose set to a fine spray. The walls must be damp with no water standing on the surface before applying the waterproofing mix.
      Step2Purchase epoxy or latex waterproof mixes to treat your walls and floor. Follow the product’s instructions carefully. You also can make your own mixture of plain cement and water to coat your walls and floor. The mix should be the consistency of cream.
      Step3Rub your waterproof mix into the wall using a stiff brush in a circular motion. Be sure to fill every pore.
      Step4Begin by applying your coat at the bottom of the wall, then brushing your waterproofing mix to the top. Slowly move back down to the bottom, applying additional coats. Apply only over the area where leakage was a problem, and be sure to completely cover the area.
      Step5Spray the area with water after the coating dries. Soak it completely and let it set for 12 hours.
      Step6Wet down the area with a garden hose once the wall has dried. Apply a second coat of waterproofing mixture to your basement.
      Pack a leaking floor joint
      Step1Determine if your leaking problem is near the joint at the floor and wall. Clean the area on the floor before applying your waterproofing mix.
      Step2Chisel out a a dovetail joint where the wall and floor meet if the leaking is heavy. Chip along the entire floor joint a

13. QUESTION:
    Should homeowners insurance cover mold in basement – covered previous claim due to basement flooding?
    Okay – a year a go we had a pipe burst outside the house and the water basically ran down into our foundation in our furnace room and flooded the basement. Probably a good 2 inches of water throughout the basement (finished basement – living room, bedroom) Replaced all the carpet and the drywall about 2 ft up from base. Insurance covered this. They didn’t cover the pipe repair outside that caused the leak – but the inside they did. So now, we’ve discovered we have mold in our bedroom. It’s fairly obvious that it’s being caused b/c any moisture coming from outside (rain) is all running down now to where the water made it’s path to the foundation the first time, and then it must be sitting there. Insurance is balking at this. Saying they’re not responsible. We can fix the mold. We can fix the drywall. But it’s just going to happen again next year. Anybody?

    • ANSWER:
      The only time water ingress from the outside (non-flood) is covered is if something that is covered by the policy makes a hole in the building exterior first. So water entering because of cracks in the foundation or the water erode the mortar in a brick/concrete block foundation is not covered. Water that enters the home during a rainstorm after someone runs their vehicle into your home would be covered, because vehicle impact (other than your own) is covered.
      Damage caused by mold, rust, corrosion, wet or dry rot, and condensation are always excluded under any property policy. Losses insured under a property policy need to be sudden and accidental. The perils I just listed all occur over a period of time. That and the perils I listed are maintenance issues.

14. QUESTION:
    How do I fix a broken water pipe that is in my slab foundation?
    I have a hot water line that has develeoped a leak but the pipe runs into my kitchen in the slab floor. I do not have a basement that would allow me to run a new pipe. Any suggestions???

    • ANSWER:
      Either cut the concrete and repair the broken pipe or reroute the pipe and tie it back in somewhere that is accesible – bypass the leak. Slabs can be a real problem. If you know the exact area where the leak is, half your job is already done.

15. QUESTION:
    What is the best way to repair a basement cinder block wall that is buckling in. From the inside or outside.?
    I’m having the basement waterproofed on the inside of the house where they remove the cement floor 18″-20″ around the perimiter. After taking down panelling from a wall which leaks, the block is collapsing & there are huge cracks. Would it be easier to fix this problem from the inside or outside of the house? Thank you.

    • ANSWER:
      the easiest solution,and cleanest, would be to exctavate the earth around the outside of the foundation where the block is. if you do not do this, the force of the earth being pressed against the foundation will create a extreme amount of dirt and filler toi rush into your basement when you remove the collapsing block. a good rule of thumb is a hole along the side of the foundation 3ft deep by 5ft wide (wide being along side of the house). this ensures there is enough room for the repair men to work on the outside of the wall as well as the inside. either way, the most secure way to repair the problem block is to make certian that the replacement block gets sealed in properly for BOTH sides. if there are any other questionable blocks in the area, have them repair them as well. beleive me, unless you intend to excavte the ground yourself, you will not want to pay for this service ever again.so the answer to your question is both the inside AND the outside.

16. QUESTION:
    I cant seem to get rid of the musty smell in my basement?
    I run my daycare in my basement and I use a dehumidifier which works some but also heats the rooms up. Does anyone have any suggestions?

    • ANSWER:
      You’re not going to to like the answer for this problem, because you use the basement for your daycare business. The musty odor is probably caused by mold and mildew in some parts of the basement. This mold and mildew is what’s likely causing the odor you smell. Unfortunately the only good cure is to remove everything possible form the basement like carpeting, furniture, curtains, toys and everything else that isn’t attached to the floor or walls. Choose a sunny day with low humidity and get everything outside into the sun to kill any mold/mildew spores. “Beat” the carpet to remove the dust and allergens from the carpeting. If it’s not too heavy, hang it on a clothes line for the best dust removal. You can use a proper commercial cleaning spray that contains bleach to wipe toys, books, and most other items you had in the basement. Once you’ve cleared out your basement, sweep or vacuum the floors and use a dry scrub to get rid of accumulated dust. You should then use a solution of 3/4 chlorine bleach to a gallon of water to mop up the floors and wash the walls. Let it sit for five minutes and give it a rinse with cold water. Let dry and help the drying process by mopping with a dry mop and having a fan circulate the air in your basement. Make sure that you scrub the walls, cornices and corners very well! You’re not just cleaning out the basement but killing the mildew that’s been growing in your basement. Check the drainage or your basement pipes for condensation. When too much condensation builds up in the pipes, it will drip down your basement floor or run down the pipes and stay there. With the condensation comes the musty basement smell. Prevent condensation from building up by wrapping pipe insulation around your basement pipes. The rainy season can also cause a buildup of moisture, so make sure that the ground slopes away from the foundations of your house and that the downspouts of the house extends six feet or more away from your house. Leaking pipes is also another problem that you can run into. Repair any leaks you find in the basement. You indicated that you already operate a dehumidifier in the basement. Make sure it’s the proper size and is working as it should. High humidity is what makes molds and mildew grow and spread rapidly. Providing more ventilation in your basement will also help. Installing cross-ventilation that connects your basement with the ventilation system in other parts of your house is another way to prevent humidity and stagnant air. A simpler solution could be creating windows or installing air vent fans in your basement. Condensation can build up on the basement walls. There are many causes for condensation on the walls, such as the structure of the house, the climate, the make of the walls, the drainage system and possibly even the activities of the children during the day. Any cracks in the walls that weep water should be repaired. The walls can be cleaned with “TSP” ( Trisodium – Phosphate ) or its equivalent, and then dried and sealed with a latex concrete sealer if desired. If there is any area up high, ( out of the reach of children ), you could scatter some charcoal briquettes to absorb moisture. This is a lot of work and can be accomplished within a reasonable time period with some help. More time is involved than expense, unless there are problems with the floor or walls. Hope this sheds some light on fixing this “odor” problem in your basement.

17. QUESTION:
    The basement has been leaking and now the carpet and drywall are wet in areas. What do we do?
    We have one finished room in the basement and we bought the house about four months ago. The outside needs some additional grading/backfill along the foundation and a downspout needs to be cleared. I just don’t know what to do about some drywall that is wet on the bottom and the carpet is soggy in the doorway going into the unfinished portion (which happens to be 3 feet from the drain). We don’t have a floating slab or a sump pump; the basement wall is block and is 50+ years old. Maybe this helps….

    • ANSWER:
      Your basement sounds like the one I had, when I lived in Detroit.

      It too was an old cinder block basement and I also had some water issue’s. I had to attack this problem from a couple angles.

      1. Improve the grade from the house, to aid the drainage of water from the foundation.

      2. As my house was from 1929, the drain tiles were old and had collapsed. I had to hand dig in the area of the leaks and repair the damage. The repair is easy enough to do, but it’s hard work digging up all that dirt.

      3. When the trench was open, while repairing the drain tiles, I applied waterproofing and plastic sheeting to the cinder block. This really helped eliminate water intrusion.

      These three things eliminated all water from entering my basement.

      As far as the drywall goes, I’d remove the lower 2 feet of it and let the studs dry out. If you can remove and discard the carpeting, treat the area with at minimum 50% bleach ( 1/2 water and 1/2 bleach) to kill all mold spore’s.

      Your main objective should be to eliminate all future water intrusion. Make sure your grading and back filling will be enough to address the issue. Contact a local specialist in your area, you need to verify that your drain tiles are in working order. If your foundation is 50+ years old and it hasn’t been renovated, you’ll will most likely have drain tiles.

18. QUESTION:
    Will home insurance cover tree roots causing water to enter my basement?
    I live in montana, and tree roots have grown under my foundation and drawn up ground water, created a path for the water to follow, and separated my foundation from my footing allowing water to enter my basement. Will any home owner’s insurance cover this type of damage or repair? It is a city tree, would they be liable? Thank you.

    • ANSWER:
      No, for several reasons:

      1. Tree roots are a maintenance issue.
      2. Foundation damage is specifically excluded on the standard policy, except by fire
      3. Water damage, from water seeping/leaking into the basement, is considered flood, and also excluded on the homeowners policy.

      The city isn’t liable. Any part of the tree on YOUR property, is YOUR responsibility – including the roots.

      Sorry, you’ll have to get this done on your own.

19. QUESTION:
    How can I fix my basement wall? It leaks and has some cracks here and there.?
    We took care of one side of the house. The driveway slopes to the house and so the water was getting in there through the cracks. For a quick fix now we tared the outside and we haven’t had a problem since then. In the front and back of the house we built up the dirt around the house to keep the water running away from the house. So now our problem is the other side of the house. We have a cinder block basement and it’s starting and/or is pushing in. I could probably grab the block and pull it right out. We’ve had a numerous amount of basement repair people come in and give us estimates ranging from 8 to 17 grand to fix it. I’ve had people tell us we could replace it on our own. So I was wondering if anyone had advice on how to do this? Other people have said to take a few blocks out at a time and replace them and then tar the back of the wall. I know it would be best to have a professional do it but if we had the money we would.

    • ANSWER:
      If your only problem was a leak in the basement wall, I’d recommend a repair using injected bentonite, which is a naturally occurring mineral that swells up in the presence of water to form a watertight seal. It can be injected from the outside around the perimeter of the basement wall, without having to excavate the backfill. The application, however, requires specialized equipment and should be done by a professional. Volclay Bentogrout is one product that is widely available:
      http://www.cetco.cl/bmg/pdf/bentogrout_techdata.pdf

      However, it appears that your concrete block wall is deteriorating. If the block wall is the foundation for your house, you’ve got a serious structural problem that must be addressed, or the house may collapse. I can’t tell from your statement if this is the situation. If so, you may need to call in house movers to support your house while the foundation is rebuilt. Reinforcing steel (“rebar”) should be used in the concrete block wall, and the cells should be fully grouted. This is not a job that can be done a few blocks at a time by a homeowner. I recommend that you have a licensed structural engineer examine the basement wall and advise you how to proceed. His consulting fee should not be too expensive, and will be money well spent.

20. QUESTION:
    In MO, what rights does a owner of a new home have against the builder within the first year?
    Purchased a new construction home that the basement leaks. Builder has tried to fix several times and finally gave up. Had us contact a basement company to get an estimate on repairs. The company gave us a bid to repair which the builder said he would pay for. We have not had the basement fixed yet, because the builder won’t give us the check. We were told that new construction homes have at least a one year warranty due to a law in Missour. What should we do since we have been trying for almost 6 months to get the builder to either fix the problem or give us the money to have fixed. We have other issues as well with the house but this is the most critial.

    • ANSWER:
      The builder hires contractor to do the various trades of the home: foundation, waterproofing, framing, roof, siding, etc.

      The problem sounds like it falls under a warranty claim for which the builder would be responsible, however it sounds like they want you to contact the basement company to pursue a fix.

      Go that route and see what they say. Be sure to tell them that this has been an ongoing problem which their warranty/service department is not able to resolve. Let them take it from there. You should get your issue fixed, I’d guess!

      Good luck!

21. QUESTION:
    Basement flooded and not covered by insurance. Water continues to seep in?
    I rented a wet-vac and got most of the water out and removed all carpeting and padding but water continues to seep in from a couple of locations. Because of the type of flooding, my policy doesn’t cover any damages? and restoration services are way to pricey just to extract water and dry the area or any possible repairs. How would I carry out any DIY project to fix leaks? Its ground-water seeping through foundation somehow and coming through under the walls and trims.

    • ANSWER:
      first divert as much water as you can from the foundation,do you have gutters and downspouts and are they piped away from the house,also can you bring in more dirt and raise the elevation of the land so it is running downhill away from your house.after you have done all that,and water is still coming in you might have to dig down around your foundation and apply a water proofing paint or plastic to the outside of the foundation. if you have installed an interior wall in that basement it will probably stay wet ,that has to go.

22. QUESTION:
    I close on a house in 20 days and need help?
    Here’s the scenario. I have a contract to buy a home for 125K. Three days ago my area was pounded w/ 5-6 inches of rain in a 24-48 hour period. The basement of the property leaked into the finished part of the basement. There were a lot of problems w/flooding basements in the area due to the rain and sewers backing up (no sewer water in this property) Seller had a contractor out to the home and advised that they need to get a bobcat in the backyard to re-do the dirt work against the foundation and replace the gutters on the back of the home. This requires the removal of 26X18 wood deck. Seller has offered to reduce price of the home by 2K or produce 2K at closing (this will approx cover the price of the dirtwork and gutters). This does not address the replacement of the deck or potential for replacement of carpet in the basement. I have a contractor going out tomorrow to estimate replacement cost of the patio. Thoughts?

    • ANSWER:
      Same thing has happened to me. Sounds like you don’t have a real estate attorney handling this for you. PLEASE get one. He’ll probably charge you between 800 to 1500 bucks but it will be money well spent. What has to happen is money has to be put in escrow to cover repairs with a contract that if it’s not enough, the sellers are responsible for other money needed to put it back to original condition. The sellers have probably collected money from their insurance company already for the repairs. Since you have a signed contract, the seller can’t just say forget it. They must sell it to you in orig. condition at time of signing the contract.
      By the way, the damage done to my house was some shingles missing, and a tree down in the back yard. The seller’s offered us 00.00 reduced price. Our attorney found out that they had received a ,000 from their insurance company. The repairs were almost .000. And because our attorney had the money put in escrow at closing, the money was there and the sellers weren’t very happy.

23. QUESTION:
    buying a house on a slope higher than the road?
    I am first time home buyer and looking to buy a house on the slope.Hill extending above behind the backyard and road below the house in the front. Will we get a flooding issues as water can come from behind due to gravity. There was one known incident of a puddle in the basement. What should I worry about or ask? Will it be difficult to fix such leakages> How much they cost typically? How us 60 years old.
    The house don’t have a sump pump. The current owners are second and they had it only once. There is no river above so there is path to water. almost all houses in the area are 50-70 years old. can’t afford the new house as in this town anything less than 10 year old goes for atleast a million and this one will be in 600K
    thanks for all those responded.
    I am going to have a pro check anyway but wondering if it is even worth considering buying the house if there is a problem which can’t be fixed below 20 grand

    • ANSWER:
      the puddle in the basement could mean you have a cracked foundation, this could be a small issue or a large one depending on how bad it is cracked, to fix such a leak could cost as little as 0.00 up to 000.00 depending if they have to dig out foundation and install weeping tile and proper drainage, get a pro to check your basement out first before you buy.
      Flooding will not be an issue if proper drainage is already existing or can be installed.
      A 60 year old house is not old at all, have a electrician check out wiring, a plumber to check plumbing and have a house inspector check out the rest of the house, the house will be settled so once the leak is repaired you will be OK.
      You did not mention if you had a sump pump or what type of drain is in basement, the water on the floor could be as easy as a burnt out pump.
      Like I suggested have it professionally checked out.
      Good luck

24. QUESTION:
    Is there an inner DIY foundation leak repair?
    I’m looking for something worthwhile and durable. Not a big crack at all and I have some extremely handy bros. Whats the cost for materials?

    • ANSWER:
      I once had a crack in my basement wall that let water from rain in, sometimes alot. I located the crack on the outside by digging down to find it. Chiseled it out a bit to create a V groove and then plugged it using hydraulic cement that I got at Home Depot. I also did the same on the inside and that was 10 years ago and it has not leeked a peep since…

25. QUESTION:
    Steps to diagnose basement water leak from wall and ultimately repair?
    I noticed a small area of my basment wall and floor that is damp from water penetration. The wall in question is diretly under my front porch and steps. My first gues is that the cement steps may need to be resealed or I need to dig out plant bed,,,,,seal lower brick area, and then regrade. I live in Michigan and we have had on and off light rain for the past few days. Also, my house is nearly 80 yrs old.

    • ANSWER:
      NO Gutters,Clogged gutters, ground pitched toward the house, and also downspouts not running 6 ft from house can be causes.
      I had a similar problem glog, pitch and no leader running away from the house. I fixed it and also dug up that wall to the footer and coated the foundation with tar.
      I installed pipe and stone to create a french drain running away from the house to a pit of stone good luck

26. QUESTION:
    What to do with a leak in basement?
    There appears to be two leaks that have developed in my basement. I am pretty sure that I will be required to hire a contractor to dig the length of the house to repair the breach. Has anyone experienced a similar situation and what was the cost associated? The house is approx 3800 sq ft.

    • ANSWER:
      generally the best way to stop a leak is from the outside…but there are a lot of factors not covered in your question…what foundation is made of, is there a lower spot to run your french drain to…some folks have to install sump pumps as a means to get rid of water…see if there is a waterproofing specialist in your area…

27. QUESTION:
    How can I stop water from coming in my basement. It lokis like it is coming through the walls and the floor.?
    The water only comes through the walls and floor when it rains x-streamly hard and fast.

    • ANSWER:
      You need to make sure the ground slopes away from the house. a minimum of 1/8 inch per foot but more if possible. Also make sure all the downspouts from the gutters have something to divert water away from the foundation. next repair any cracks in the foundation. you may need to check a few feet below grade in the area where the leak is occurring. lastly a good water proofing paint (such as UGL DRYLOCK) could help. If all this fails you may need to put in some type of drainage system and/or sump pump

28. QUESTION:
    How much do you do to the house to sell it?
    I have a 24 year old home that I am selling due to divorce. It needs cosmetic things and new flooring and carpet. One agent suggested to sell as it and take a ,000 drop in price. Would I recoup my initial investment and be able to ask a higher price? I have very limited monetary resources to work with and need to make the biggest bang for the buck

    • ANSWER:
      O.K. The main thing is to minimize………and what i mean by that is to remove all the clutter if there is any. Also, I would paint, add a new kitchen floor, and possibly neutral carpeting. If carpeting is in fair condition, have it professionally cleaned. Outside, make sure there are no visible cracks in foundation, and check roof for leakage. If you have those issues, have them repaired before inspection report. Also if your house has a basement, make sure the oil burner and hot water heater works, and there are no leaks or musty odors. Also lawn mowed, and flower beds manicured and neat. Also bathrooms are something that people look at alot. If your vanity has seen better days, replace it. You don’t have to retile, etc. All you do is make sure shower tile and bathtub are sparkling clean…new towels, and accessories, candles, maybe some new lighting. Also, home should be neat when shown for Open House on weekends. I believe if you put ,000 into the house, you will get about ,000 more in your asking price. If you don’t want to do all the work, then just paint…declutter….and take a little less in your asking price. My husband was a real estate broker so I know a little about the business. The market is soft right now, so the high prices of the past are a lingering memory…It is a buyer’s market now. Best of Luck to you in whatever you decide.

29. QUESTION:
    What do I look for when viewing a house I want to buy?
    I’m looking at some houses with a real estate agent tomorrow and I wanted to know what I am looking for? This is my first time buying a house and I’m a little freaked.

    • ANSWER:
      First find a house that you like for room and design. Before you sign any papers insist on getting a home inspection and make the contract contingent upon a favorable home inspection. You pay for the home inspection. If the inspector finds anything, you can negotiate to have it fixed or pass on the house if it’s a big thing. They will check the foundation, electrical, plumbing, roof, crawl, basement, appliance, furnance, etc.

      Second, Ask the seller to buy Home Owners Warranty for you. The seller is the only one that can by this. It will cover all repairs inside the house for a period of one year usually with a 0 deductible for you. This includes appliances, plumbing, electrical, walls, etc. When I bought this house, it had gas leaks, water leaks, needed a new water heater, dish washer, and dryer. The warranty covered it all for the 0 deductible. In todays market, it they won’t buy it for you, find something else.

      If the house is dirty when you walk in (not toys not picked up) but garbage everywhere, smells, or is by electric lines or a retention pond. Look else where. Retention ponds can overflow and flood the basement.

      Go to city hall and make sure it isn’t on a flood plain. It is almost impossible to get insurance for flooding if it is. And speaking of insurance, call your insurance agent and see if they will insure the house. Sometimes if there was a mold problem, you can’t get insurance even if you are the new owner.

      Real estate agents can not tell you the ethnic mix of a neighborhood or how the schools are rated. For the first, you can go to any public place and observe the people – even a school ground. For school ratings, go the the School District and they can give you information on how they are rated.

      Third, if you decide to write a contract put a clause in it that all contracts have to be reviewed by your attorney (and give a time limit) before accepted. This will prevent you from signing something that they tell you is one thing, but is actually another.

      Fourth, anything that you want to stay in the house (like window air conditioners, window treatments, appliances, etc.) have to be put in writing or it doesn’t have to be left.

      Have fun, it’s not as hard as it seems if you use a little common sense.

30. QUESTION:
    Can a proper home(roof) inspection be done when the roof is covered with snow?
    Does the exterior of the roof have to be thoroughly inspected as well to verify the actual condition of the roof, or will an interior inspection be sufficient? If it’s not possible to inspect the exterior because of the snow on the roof, then what can the buyer do to ensure that he is buying a house which has a good roof? How can the buyer’s interest be protected when buying a home in the winter?

    • ANSWER:
      The exterior roof inspection is a relatively small part of the overall home inspection. The inspection contract will generally say the inspection will only cover what is visible. If you want to make sure the exterior of the roof is inspected, you can arrange to have the snow cleaned off. But the inspector can tell a lot about the roof by inspecting it from the inside. Some inspectors will clean off enough snow to at least inspect parts of the outside. Most won’t.

      The most important things to get inspected before buying a house usually aren’t, because the inspection would cost more. If it’s a slab foundation with no basement, it’s very important to get the plumbing inspected extensively. That’s because plumbing work can be very costly with a slab foundation. A typical inspection only tests the functionality of the plumbing, but not the actual condition of the pipes under the slab, nor the condition of the sewer line. Compared to those, a roof is relatively cheap to repair. Something that typically happens with moderately old houses on slab foundations is that tree roots grow into the sewer line, causing frequent sewer backups. The only permanent way to fix that is to replace the sewer line with a more modern one. Otherwise you have to get rid of the tree roots on an ongoing basis, year after year. Replacing the sewer line requires breaking the foundation slab with a jackhammer. But if the roof leaks, you usually only have to replace some shingles.

      The important point of all this is to be aware of the risks and costs. The inspection costs money and helps reduce your risks. But you will still have risks. And each risk can be measured by how likely an incident is to happen, combined with how much it would cost if it did happen. So don’t just inspect what seems obvious. Analyze the risks and find the most cost effective way to minimize them, with a very sophisticated inspection that takes such risks and costs into account.

31. QUESTION:
    I found a vertical crack on the outside of my house foundation. What do I do?
    It is a split level house, built in 1962 in a rainy city.

    • ANSWER:
      The caulking could work, unless water is causing the foundation to settle and crack.

      This site describes the cheap “quick fix” way to deal with it, or as my dad would say, the “Mickey Mouse” way:

      http://www.ehow.com/how_5690581_fix-foundation-leaks.html

      If it works, then great. But you’ll probably be repeating this a couple times at least!

      Here are a couple other options. One involves repairing the crack from INSIDE w/low-pressure urethane foam. That’s also a quick and temporary fix.

      A “French drain” is another. It keeps our 100+ y.o. basement dry, but does NOT stop cracking due to frost or water damage on the OUTSIDE (we’ve been lucky there, but ONLY there–the rest of the house is like a seive!). ANyway, here’s a link for those 2 options:

      http://www.repair-concrete.com/foundation-crack-repair.html

      For a more permanent solution

      THEN you need to dig out all round the foundation, down to the bottom, put in a layer of rocks and gravel, then a perforated drain pipe or tile (or replace the one that is not working). THEN you coat the foundation with tar or other waterproofing, like A-tech masonry and brick repair-a Low-VOC sealant, then backfill. Make sure to have your surface slope away from the house for added drainage.

      There is a system called “Drainguard” which replaces the traditional tile, and has strips that run vertically, funneling water down to the drain strip:

      For a picture and description, go here:

      http://www.appliedtechnologies.com/home/drainguard_modular_groundwater.html

      Here’s a brief description of the urethane method (inside or out) vs. excavation:

      “Urethane injections are okay if the crack is small, but if the crack has been ignored and has become large and gaping, it is better to repair it using a drainage tile. For larger leaks outside the house, a more extensive method is employed. A trench is dug at the affected place and the drainage tile is replaced if necessary. The trench is then filled – first with coarse gravel to make it more waterproof and then with the soil. This method is used even when dams spring a leak in their foundation.”

      http://ezinearticles.com/?Foundation-Leak-Repair&id=119864

32. QUESTION:
    Looking for advice on a written offer I made through my real estate agent?
    I recently looked at a home that was listing through an agent. I met the seller personally and he showed me the house himself as he’s a friend of my family. I made a written offer through my own agent to the sellers listing agent just recently. The seller has not accepted my offer and his contract with his listing agent expires at the end of this month. He contacted me to see if I would be willing to wait till his contract expires and we can make a deal without our realtors to avoid paying the commissions. Is this legal and do I have any obligation to my agent now that I have put in a written offer through him? Thanks.

    • ANSWER:
      When you went to an agent to look for homes and if it’s the first house sometimes people think the agent who is trying to find you your dream home works for you. That feeling is totally NOT true. You owe the agent exacty [FAQ-ANSWER]0.00

      Under the law the agent you picked and asked to find you a home actually works for the seller. The law in all 50 states is that buyers always have NO obligation to pay one cent in commission to the agent. The seller always pays 100 percent of the commision. Your friend is giving you bad advice, you already do not have to pay any commission.

      In private sales the seller dose save on commission but what they really want is for the buyer NOT to hire a lawyer to draw up the offer for the house. It’s a common scam, but it is not against the law.

      There are some legalities that you should have looked into by a lawyer before making an offer on a house and you should also always always always have your lawyer draw up the offer, not the real-estate agent. The best thing that happened to you is that the seller refused your offer. If you make an offer without any terms and conditions and it is accepted, then the house is sold, you can’t change your mind later. You own it as well as all it’s problems.

      But by hiring a lawyer to make the offer for you he can write terms and conditions on the house. Then your Lawyer has the legal right to act on your behalf and look for things you might not even know about.

      Most importantly the lawyer will write a clause in the offer that the house has to pass a building inspection by an inspector of YOUR choice. Your lawyer then writes another clause that says if the inspector finds one thing wrong and you don’t like it, then you can nullify the offer. This clause is always written with the words that says that the inspection is for YOUR benefit, not the sellers.

      Say you see the perfect house and you want to make an offer. But say you make the offer through your lawyer who writes in terms and conditions into the offer, you can save your self a lot of money and a lot of grief down the road.

      Because of the terms and conditions, the lawyer and/or your inspector could find things like the house has liens or multiple mortages on the house or other legal problems such as easements. Does the land come with the house — sometimes it doesnt.

      The building inspector will be abe to find out if there are major problems with the house: the sewer pipes are blocked by roots, the house is not constructed properly to bear the weight of the roof or the second story or the electrical wiring may have to be redone because it’s not up to code, the foundation has problems, the basement leaks and worse of all, the house is settling (half the house is sinking), all of which will require real costly repairs.

      After you get the reports from your lawyer and building inspector, then you can say the house does not meet the terms and conditions. The lawyer will write a letter that the offer is nullified and since the offer says the terms and conditions are written for your benefit, there is nothing the seller can do and you are fully protected from being sued.

      Many States have laws that allow them to inspect the wiring in older houses and the seller of the house may have already received an order to have the house rewired so it meets current code standards. An order to rewire is one of the reasons owners want to sell privately and say that you will save on commission and lawyer’s fees to write an offer. They will say to you “why pay a lawyer to write an offer and why pay a real-estate agent a commision, let’s save you the money.”

      A lot of people hire a lawyer upon closing. What they should do is hire a lawyer the minute they go house hunting. Sure you save a few hundred dollars, but it might save you many thousands of dollars down the road.

      By hiring your lawyer at the offer stage, when you find your dream home, you will know exactly what you are getting for your money. No house is without problems, but you will be reassured that you won’t find and real bad problems and nasty surprises later on.

      But to answer your question you never had any obligation to the real-estate agent at any time and yes it is legal to sell privately, but the sellers motivation may not be to save money; the odds are is that seller wants you to sign an offer not drawn up by a lawyer. That too is perfectly legal.

      What rings alarm bells for me is the words “our realtors.” Even though you picked the agent, the agent works for him, period.

33. QUESTION:
    how to repair a leaky/falling apart foundation?
    we dug out a 5 ft trench around the house for a drain(bad amount of water rushes in my basement) as i was washing the foundation down peices of rock and cement were falling off .We have bad leaks thru out all the foundation that leves a lot of water to sumb-pump we want to do this correct what steps should i take to repair and waterproof the whole thing(should i reconcrete the whole thing)(and then put down some sort of waterproofer or plug)

    • ANSWER:
      sounds like you have a stone foundation…best and cheapest is to mix up some cement and trowel it in to all the bad spots…you could parge (plaster) the whole wall if you have the time…you could call a waterproofing specialist since you already have it dug out and see about having a rubber membrane glued to your exterior walls…most stone foundations dont have a footer so no matter what you do to the walls you may get some seepage under the floor…

34. QUESTION:
    Used hydraulic cement to repair leaky basement-no leaks, but patched area always looks wet like about to leak-?
    Is this normal? Any suggestions or ideas about diy leak repair? We followed quikrete directions. I want to go ahead and finish basement, but don’t want to risk more leaks in future. Is Permaseal only answer? what makes their system superior?

    • ANSWER:
      you can’t stop water from entering your basement from the inside. I suggest trying to eliminate the source of the water. Does the grade outside slope towards the house? Do you need gutters? Do they work properly? If you can’t divert water from your foundation and still have troubles, the only solution is digging around the house, checking your perimeter drain or add one and use proper sealing and drainage techniques.

35. QUESTION:
    In our basement water is leaking from the site where the main water pipe enters the foundation. ?
    This is before the water meter. Yes our meter is inside the house, it checked wirelesly. How do I tell if the water is from the pipe or from the ground? I only seem to notice it when there is a really good rain. It is a slow leak. Also the house is only 4-5 years old. We are the second owners, would the builder be rresponsiblein anyway if it id the foundation?

    • ANSWER:
      could be the pipe outside, either way you are responsible for the repair unless home under warrenty for foundation

36. QUESTION:
    The 22′ l, x 4’w x4′ deep concrete bunker is between the subfloor and the slab foundation?
    We don’t have basements in Texas and I don’t want or need to use the ‘bunker’. I need to seal it up once I pump the water out and the foundation is evaluated and repaired.

    • ANSWER:
      I read your other question, and not sure bunker is the best word for it, sounds like a horse trough or a cistern, it may have preexisted the house and the contractor was to lazy to remove it before construction (you’d be amazed at the amount of construction garbage and spiders you find while restoring homes), or it was put there to trap rain water (little unusual for the area but not uncommon on islands) it would have piping to it for that though.

      Id say the cheapest and easiest thing to do would be to rent an electric roto-hammer and punch a few holes in the bottom and corners so it drains in the future and just leave it, maybe fill it with gravel. If waters getting into the foundation it probably needs to be sealed and drain tile installed and that would keep any more water from collecting unless the water is piped in from the gutters or leaking from the house. Cant really say much without seeing it.

37. QUESTION:
    My basement wall has mold which is cause by rain and water from outside.. How can I stop this problem?
    I also would like to know how to get rid of existing mold mold

    • ANSWER:
      First, don’t panic. Not all mould is toxic. It’s very important that you isolate the area where the water is coming in and repair it. Is the ground outside the house graded up towards the basement so that water doesn’t pool there? If the ground is properly graded, depending on the age of the house there may or may not be weeping tile around the basement to take away the ground water. Call in a contractor who’s experienced with foundations & basements to see what the water source might be. In the meantime remove
      any wet & detiorating materials around the leak area. & clean the concrete surface with strong soap & water not bleach. Keep an eye on it & try to keep it dry.

38. QUESTION:
    The foundation to our home is cracking. Is this normal?
    Our home is 2 years old and we have noticed that one wall of the foundation has a crack and water has started to leak through when it rains. We also have 3 cracks along the floor of the basement that span the entire length, but no water leakage. Is this normal? I have heard that houses need to settle into the soil but I am worried about how many more cracks/leaks we will have in the future and how to fix these. Any tips or suggestions would be welcome. Thanks!

    • ANSWER:
      All new houses have settlement issues ranging from a small separation in some crown molding to a crack in the foundation. As much you are supposed to construct it on virgin soil, there is still slight movement expected. That’s why contractors usually give a 12-18 month warranty on new homes.

      However, water leaking through a foundation wall is a big problem for a new house. The outside of foundation walls should be covered with a waterproofing membrane and/or drainboard to protect from water intrusion however if a sizable crack has formed, the membrane could also have been torn by the movement of the concrete. You also may not have this membrane depending on what corners the contractor may have cut during construction. If you see the water is seeping through high up the wall, then it might be as simple as a patch/repair to the waterproofing membrane which can be done by excavating, with a shovel, against the foundation wall where the crack is to see what condition it’s in. You can buy tar and membrane and do it yourself or hire a contractor. If it’s coming out lower on the wall it could be the same thing or it could be an issue with your footing drain. Water is meant to run down the foundation wall and hit the footing drain then drain away from the building. If the footing drain is clogged or crushed the water will just sit at the bottom of the wall and hydrostatic pressure will force it into whatever cracks their are in your foundation wall or slab.

      To determine whether or not the crack is getting any bigger. Place a piece of rigid tape, packing, masking, etc. over the crack. If it tears or shifts off the wall slightly then the crack is still moving and your best to contact an architect or engineer. If it’s done settling, you can hire a contractor to patch it from the outside and inside with a non-shrink grout and do the waterproofing like I previously mentioned.

      It would be worth it however, to have an architect or engineer inspect the house, not a licensed house inspector. Licensed house inspectors are required to pass a course to attain their license. Engineers and Architects are educated for 4-5 years and experienced in structural issues.

      Good luck,
      later

39. QUESTION:
    Do i have to pay for roots cracking neighbors foundation?
    i cut my neighbors lawn. one day we got talking about different things, and she mentioned that she has a water leak in her basement. she also showed me a crack that runs up the side of her foundation. after our conversation was done, i looked at it again, and i noticed that our tree is only 10 feet away from her house. i am almost positive that it is the roots from our tree that caused the cracks in her homes foundation. if this is the problem, do we have to pay for the damages.

    note: i live in Ontario, Canada

    • ANSWER:
      I would say NO but you did not exactly describe the tree on your lot as far as how tall it is and how much the top branches has spread out bec the root system on trees often resembles the upper growth.

      Then again you most likely have homeowner’s insurance to protect you from being sued for unintentional damages plus the repair firm when investigating the cause of cracks in her foundation would have to prove and take pics of several huge roots growing underground that reached her foundation. Also I believe one way for you to get peace of mind and doublecheck if your tree is responsible would be to stand at your tree and then looking at which your neighborhood foundation has cracks to draw a straight line, then maybe 4 or 5 feet away from your house start digging a hole below the surface checking if you come across tree roots. If none, then you might wnat to dig another 2 holes parallel along the property line again to check for roots.

      Personally I think you are over reacting bec at a previous house, our neighbordoor on the side next to his other neighbor had cracks in his foundation that were large enough that he nailed lumber in place on the two sections splitting apart but the cracks are not becasue of bushes, rather our neighbor suspected it was because the previous owner had an oversized hot tub/jacuzzi in one of the large bedrooms in the basement.

      Hope the Above Info Helps!

40. QUESTION:
    Is there cheaper but just as effective way to repair leaking crack in basement wall than epoxy injection?

    • ANSWER:
      You can buy stuff for repairing cracks in concrete at Home Depot or Rona. It is concrete powder that I think is called Rock Tight. We used it very successfully to repair a crack in our foundation wall. We dug down until we found the bottom of the crack outside and filled it on both sides of the wall. It gets harder than concrete and it survived a minor earthquake a few years ago. It will get hot while you are working with it so wear gloves.

41. QUESTION:
    Should there be isulation present behind drywall in finished basement?
    We were repairing a leak in our finished basement. There was no form of insulation behind it and the foundation. Is this due to moisture problems? Should there be insulation?
    I meant between, not behind drywall and foundation. sorry.

    • ANSWER:
      Insulation is acceptable to foundation walls. First put a vapor barrier on the wall like 4 mil or 6 mil plastic. Then insulation the furring strips or 2×4 stud wall. any moisture coming through the walls or condensation through the walls will collect on he plastic and run to the bottom. This will also protect your drywall from and moisture problems. Insulation in the basement is an option. Green board in not required in the basement. If it is needed then you have additional problems associated with leakage and green board will not protect against direct water problems.

42. QUESTION:
    We have a foundation leak. We took off the wood paneling and leak is at one of foundation vertical seams.?
    Does it need to be repaired on inside and outside? How best to repair? Thanks for any help.

    • ANSWER:
      I had the same problem and asked a contractor what to do he said get A product called Zypex..Its a fast drying cement. which when spread on the crack will stop water from seeping into the basement..I figured it would dry in about half an hour..Nope 5 count them 5 minutes and its like granite Ha HA …I mixed a little bit at a time in a plastic container and forced it into the crack and kept mixing small amounts and appling until all the crack wias filled..I wore rubber gloves I would strongly suggest you do as well.. It will stop and fill the crack while water is seeping through. Remember what I said 5 minutes and it is hard so dont mix lots at one time or your container will be solid…No leaking so far..it solved my problem

43. QUESTION:
    What things do you specifically look for when buying a house?

    • ANSWER:
      location, value, the condition of the house, the size of the house, i would ask myself if later down the road i decide to sell this house, is it in a desirable, convenient location? what is the value of this house? am i walking in with equity in this home? is this house to small? or do i really need all of this space? can i really afford this house? and as far as the condition of the home, are the wiring needs updating? does the basement leaks? is the foundation sound? does it have a high level of radon? how much would it cost me have all of the repairs done if needed?

44. QUESTION:
    How can I fix my basement which has some water issues and open ceilings plus brick walls?(multiple poles too)?
    Hi. The basement is huge but has a water leak somewhere which naturally seems to grade down and out the side doors(this used to be a drive into garage basement). I have thought of putting down bricks then laying a basic floor so I could apply some sort of covering then I saw some ‘patch it’ type items at Lowes, etc for basements. Made me think I could fix this…?? Okay, there is also open ceilings which house my A/C and Furnace venting plus plumbing pipes. The side walls are all brick and a few of them are ‘flaking’ red dust, but not much or many. There’s a large chimney column but that chimney is plugged and nonworking, I’d like to cover it too. I also have my water heater and furnace in the basement plus a side room and two windows. I’d really like to make it a bit more livable and perhaps make a TV or workout room down there but right now its just so bare/raw and has that water issue. Would covering those items up top be a problem for any future repairs? Thanks!

    • ANSWER:
      Address the moisture issue first. Dig down a couple of feet on the sides of the house where the moisture is coming into the basement and seal the foundation concrete with an appropriate product. Possibly add a diverter flange below grade to lead water away from the house a few feet so it will absorb into the ground and not build up against the foundation. Some home are simply in a natural drain plane and difficult to seal. Also seal the inside walls of the moist areas. Then go for the remodeling project. Seal all the walls if you are going to cover them to prevent mold and such. If the chimney is not in use I think you can remove it instead of covering it up, but it could collapse downward when doing so. I would contact a chimney company about this before demolition. Another option on the chimney is to clean up the weeping morter (which is typical in the basement) with a stiff wire brush and putting a brick colored sealer on the chimney to dress it up and make it look nice. The brick accent could be a nice touch to a basement room. Your main issue is moisture. Get that resolved and you can do whatever you want from there!

      You can add a ceiling over the exposed beams, but avoid the typical “drop” ceiling” because you would have to lower the ceiling too much for a basement to be able to get the tiles in and out. Some other kind of removable panel system with a zero clearance to the beams or furnace ducts would be nice to keep the ceiling height acceptable. Lower profile furnace ducts are also an option for more head room. I did a basement ceiling once with lath strips and used acoustical tiles, but that is pretty permanent and does not allow for the running of speaker wires and such later. Something modular would be nice. There are a lot of new ceiling systems out there now.

      The only way to get rid of those poles is to add a support beam, which could be a head banger if the ceiling is too low. You would probably still need at least one post in the middle.

      For the floor, if it is nice, flat and smooth concrete, a good grade of concrete paint works well. You can sponge a patten on it for a cool and inexpensive look. My parents used linoleum tiles that lasted 30+ years on their basement floor!

      Good Luck,

      Rick

45. QUESTION:
    crack in foundation fixing it from the outside?
    my basement is finished but I have a crack I can see from the outside it doens’t appear to be leaking..should I just leave it. Also if I did get it fixed how much more expensive is it to get it them to fix it from the outside. I cant tell how far down it goes but when I move the dirt around that area there are some centimpedes, not sure if thats just from the moisture there.

    • ANSWER:
      I agree with Oldhippie…but the crack should be injected with a non-hardening product. So in case there’s future movement the crack repair will still hold.
      After all that work, this is what to invest in for the repair……
      This is exactly what this stuff is made for. It’s expensive, but unless the crack is really wide, you won’t need much.

      http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/wwg/productIndex.shtml?from=Search&newSrch=yes&operator=keywordSearch&search_type=keyword&action=Go%21&QueryString=elaso-meric+sealer&submit.x=17&submit.y=9

46. QUESTION:
    pipe replacement – covered by homeowners ins.?
    We discovered that we need extensive pipe replacement in our upstairs bathroom….we bought our older home a year ago and found that the pipes are actually leaking water into the wall, down to the ceiling and wall in the first floor, and through to the wall and floor of our basement to the foundation. Estimates on replacement/repair are around 2500 dollars, not including the cost of drywall to replace the ceiling and wall areas that will need to be removed.
    Does homeowners insurance cover any portion of this? If they do how does it work….do you just call or write them and submit a claim?

    • ANSWER:
      Call your insurance carrier for that answer, since he is the only one who can answer that question.

47. QUESTION:
    basement foundation leaking?
    water intering at wall base how to repair?

    • ANSWER:
      Hydraulic cement should work as a temporary fix. It sets very quickly in damp conditions. Chances are though, that you may plug one hole and another will start spurting water. Last fall we have very heavy rains and we had to get french drains and a sump pump installed. Haven’t had water since.

      If you opt to have a sump pump installed get a few quotes as I found prices can vary significantly between contractors.

48. QUESTION:
    crack in foundation, crack in dining room wall and beam running through basement ceiling?
    There is a 12 inch “stairstep” (more horizonal though) crack in the foundation of a home I was looking to purchase. It also has a very large crack in the dining room (opposite side of the house from where the foundation crack is) and it almost runs ceiling to floor, and is not in the center of the wall, but at the 90 degree angle where the 2 walls meet. There is slight water damage in the ceiling of dining room above the crack.
    There is also a steel beam running through the basement ceiling (or upstairs floor)
    Questions are: Do you think the cracked wall, water damage in the dining room and steel beam are related to a very large foundation problem? The basement appeared dry when I viwed the house, but it has not rained her for a week. There is a sump pump on the opposite side of basement. The house was built in 1929 and has concrete block for the foundation. Any ideas?
    thank you so far…
    i must add that most of the homes in my area were built before 1920. I live in new England. I am awre of lead paint. Asbestos is a new thing to think about, but unfortunetly hard to escape in my region.
    would like to add there is not a bathroom over the dining room, but there is a door leading out to a balcony right over it.
    Am going back to give it another look and check for HEAPS of things I found to look for online. Thanks Mass Contractor.

    • ANSWER:
      Hello Patricia,
      I lived and worked in the Boston area as a contractor, over 20 years, and I have better news.
      The house is 77 years old! It has been through floods, blizzards and hurricanes. The problems you describe are extremely common to a house of this age. If this house were 5 years old, we would be having a different conversation.
      The sump pump is almost expected, as is the lead paint and asbestos issues. This is all part of owning an old house. I have some questions, though.
      1) Is there evidence the cracks were recently repaired and have opened up again?
      2) Do your doors and windows open and close easily, without binding or rubbing? Look to see if the tops or bottoms of the doors have been taper-cut.
      3) Is there a bathroom over the dining room leak?

      A 77 year old house is unlikely to just collapse upon itself. Yes, there are normal maintenance and repairs that can be done to minimize water in the basement and shed water away from the house. Some of your step- cracks could be from freeze/ thaw in the moist soil adjacent to the foundation. Overall, This sounds like just an average old house. If in doubt, hire a structural engineer.

      Oh, yeah. Termites are unlikely but have it inspected.

49. QUESTION:
    Basement leak where foundation meets footings?
    I recently had a new drainage system installed all around my house- i.e. dug up, tarred walls, installed drains and pipes etc.

    I still have slight infiltraion in a few small spots where the foundation meets the floor(footings). Given that work has been done outside would some type sealant help on the inside. i.e. loctite PL S10 or other

    • ANSWER:
      If the water is bleeding in between the foundation wall and the footing(where the wall meets the floor) then your contractor did not do a proper job when repairing it. Read the warranty from your contractor who did the repair. If you had new drain tiles installed and new water-proofing down to the footings with new stone back-fill then there should be no water leeching under the foundation. Get the contractor back to fix it.

50. QUESTION:
    Cracked foundation slab?
    I have a basement that is an aquatic hell.

    There is a crack in one of the foundation walls and I get pooling when it rains.

    There is also a crack in the foundation slab and water seeps up through that as well.

    Being the grade A geniuses we are, we didn’t realize the water stains in the basement were water stains and the sellers assured (screwed) us that there was only slight leaking during the heaviest rain storms.

    Is there anything I can do to repair the slab?

    • ANSWER:
      You need to install a sump pump, that will releive the water pressure pushing up and out the crack in your floor. Check that your gutters arent clogged and divert the water from the downspouts away from the house especially in the areas where you have the leaking.

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