One time water issue in basement
One time water issue in basement
Hi all,
We have lived in a house for 9 years and have had zero water issues in the finished basement. This is in Northeast area. Have had plenty of snow, heavy rain over the years and no issues. We recently had 8 inch snow melt followed by a 2-3 inch rain storm. This did cause a water issue. Seepage on part of 2 basement walls but not on the walls. Ruined the carpet. Also, 1/4 inch of water in the utility room. It was difficult to tell where the water was coming from as using the shop vac.
At this point, I have put some extra long downspouts on the house, read the recent thread, and also had a contractor come over who suggested a multitude of options who was not trying to sell me the Brooklyn Bridge. He did say to wait 2-3 months to see if we learn anything.
We have done the simple, external work that from what I have read is a big part of the problem; getting the water AWAY from the house. The question is where do we go from here. Was this the perfect storm/combo of 8 inch snow melt followed by 2-3 inch rain? We do have plans of putting in a waterproof vinyl floor (coretec?). Would a sump pump be a good insurance? There is no gravel under the slab so the sump would have to have pipes dug out to it. Lots of options to remedy but who knows if the outdoor downspout remedy will be enough. Don't want to jump to conclusions if we have literally only had 1 water problem. Thanks for any insight or experience anyone may have had. Thanks!
We have lived in a house for 9 years and have had zero water issues in the finished basement. This is in Northeast area. Have had plenty of snow, heavy rain over the years and no issues. We recently had 8 inch snow melt followed by a 2-3 inch rain storm. This did cause a water issue. Seepage on part of 2 basement walls but not on the walls. Ruined the carpet. Also, 1/4 inch of water in the utility room. It was difficult to tell where the water was coming from as using the shop vac.
At this point, I have put some extra long downspouts on the house, read the recent thread, and also had a contractor come over who suggested a multitude of options who was not trying to sell me the Brooklyn Bridge. He did say to wait 2-3 months to see if we learn anything.
We have done the simple, external work that from what I have read is a big part of the problem; getting the water AWAY from the house. The question is where do we go from here. Was this the perfect storm/combo of 8 inch snow melt followed by 2-3 inch rain? We do have plans of putting in a waterproof vinyl floor (coretec?). Would a sump pump be a good insurance? There is no gravel under the slab so the sump would have to have pipes dug out to it. Lots of options to remedy but who knows if the outdoor downspout remedy will be enough. Don't want to jump to conclusions if we have literally only had 1 water problem. Thanks for any insight or experience anyone may have had. Thanks!
Re: One time water issue in basement
Do you have any issues with mold in your basement? Do you have hygrometer in the basement to check for humidity? What are the walls in your basement made out of?
Re: One time water issue in basement
No mold. No meter but definitely not humid at all. Feels just like upstairs. Walls are sheetrock.
Forgot to mention we just had a little under an inch of rain since the original problem and it was bone dry.
Forgot to mention we just had a little under an inch of rain since the original problem and it was bone dry.
Re: One time water issue in basement
In my experience... There is no such thing as a ONE-TIME water event in the basement
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Re: One time water issue in basement
If you had no issues for 9 years and since the issue had a 1" rainstorm without issues. I'd wait a bit and see if it happens again.
The conditions you mention are the equivalent of a 4-5" or more of rain -- and it is possible depending upon how the melting snow was situated around your house that the normal drainage patterns were disrupted. This might have been a very unusual situation not likely to repeat... if you're lucky!
The conditions you mention are the equivalent of a 4-5" or more of rain -- and it is possible depending upon how the melting snow was situated around your house that the normal drainage patterns were disrupted. This might have been a very unusual situation not likely to repeat... if you're lucky!
Re: One time water issue in basement
Maybe. It might be that your simple changes completely fixed the problem. But often, once water finds a way in, it will continue to find the same way in. We had that happen with out last new house in the Northeast after 6 years of a dry basement. We put french drains inside and out along with a sump pump - that cured the problems.BashDash wrote: ↑Sun Jan 03, 2021 3:37 pmWe recently had 8 inch snow melt followed by a 2-3 inch rain storm. This did cause a water issue. Seepage on part of 2 basement walls but not on the walls. Ruined the carpet. Also, 1/4 inch of water in the utility room. It was difficult to tell where the water was coming from as using the shop vac.
The question is where do we go from here. Was this the perfect storm/combo of 8 inch snow melt followed by 2-3 inch rain?
If I were you, I'd wait to see what happens after a full winter/spring of snow, melt, and rain.
And I wouldn't do anything new in the basement until then.
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Re: One time water issue in basement
Next time you get a big snow storm you might want to clear the snow away from the sides of your hourrse. There are safety reasons to do this too if you have a gas vent that vents outside at ground level. By foundation walls I meant if they were made of fieldstone, concrete, etc
Re: One time water issue in basement
Concrete block. Thank you everyone for the replies!!!
Re: One time water issue in basement
Is it possible that your gutters were full of snow or ice? If so, the rain would just come off the roof, bypassing the downspout, and land next to the foundation. So you’d have water near the foundation in places that normally wouldn’t get wet.
Ice dams are pretty common. As a kid, we had heaters in our gutters to melt them when this happened.
Come spring time, some yard grading and downspout extensions will likely fix everything, given how dry it’s been for 9 years.
Ice dams are pretty common. As a kid, we had heaters in our gutters to melt them when this happened.
Come spring time, some yard grading and downspout extensions will likely fix everything, given how dry it’s been for 9 years.
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Re: One time water issue in basement
Lots of "what if's" here. Is your house on a hill or just a flat lot? If a hill, both surface water and potentially underground water can make its way to your foundation and seep in through microcracks. I had this at my house. Solved with interior channels under the floor all leading to a sump pump.
Another of our problems was water that came on the surface under our basement door. This got mitigated with some regrading, adding gutters on a porch roof that emptied in the basement walkup and including a garage grate inside the basement door so that any water that could come in will not get beyond that. It is part of the track system and leads to the sump pump.
We did do the long spouts from downspouts which helped.
Our house is a traditional cape on the north side with only an inch from the end of the roof to the outside wall, which honestly is a stupid design. When reroofing last year, we had an 18 inch extension of the roof and gutters added.
Our basement has windows with window wells that would at times get filled with water, seeping in. I bought those window plastic covers and before the gutters, it helped.
On a flat lot, my father in law has an extremely flat lot so water doesn't have much place to go. He's had to do what he could to seal the foundation to ground with concrete, creating an incline to move water away from the house. Just an inch or 2 helps. He's also done gutters with long tubes to lead the water away.
If water has come in once, it'll come in again if you don't do anything about it. Of course, external drain pipes all around the footers leading somewhere keeps the water out. Our detached garage is done that way. We had it built and it has the same footers and essentially basement walls that a house would have. There's never been a problem anywhere near the garage, which is actually built over a natural water path. It's all redirected into pipes and down hill.
Another of our problems was water that came on the surface under our basement door. This got mitigated with some regrading, adding gutters on a porch roof that emptied in the basement walkup and including a garage grate inside the basement door so that any water that could come in will not get beyond that. It is part of the track system and leads to the sump pump.
We did do the long spouts from downspouts which helped.
Our house is a traditional cape on the north side with only an inch from the end of the roof to the outside wall, which honestly is a stupid design. When reroofing last year, we had an 18 inch extension of the roof and gutters added.
Our basement has windows with window wells that would at times get filled with water, seeping in. I bought those window plastic covers and before the gutters, it helped.
On a flat lot, my father in law has an extremely flat lot so water doesn't have much place to go. He's had to do what he could to seal the foundation to ground with concrete, creating an incline to move water away from the house. Just an inch or 2 helps. He's also done gutters with long tubes to lead the water away.
If water has come in once, it'll come in again if you don't do anything about it. Of course, external drain pipes all around the footers leading somewhere keeps the water out. Our detached garage is done that way. We had it built and it has the same footers and essentially basement walls that a house would have. There's never been a problem anywhere near the garage, which is actually built over a natural water path. It's all redirected into pipes and down hill.
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Re: One time water issue in basement
Thanks Jack for the detailed reply. I read your replies in other threads too which are helpful. Landscaping is graded properly. House on slightly descending hill. Considering that sump pump idea you mentioned while basement is empty of everything. Tough to tell if this is isolated issue.
Re: One time water issue in basement
I live in the Northeast too. Lived in a house from 2006 to 2106 with a sump pit but no pump with no leaks or water seepage at all - even during SuperStorm Sandy. After retiring a couple of years ago and moving to a newly-built home and finishing the basement ($50K), the sump pump was coming on every 1 to 2 minutes during a heavy rainstorm a few months ago. There was no leakage onto the basement floor but it was a nervous time.
To answer your question, I would get a sump pump installed and a battery backup sump pump. I found insurance coverage would not cover much after the required deductible.
To answer your question, I would get a sump pump installed and a battery backup sump pump. I found insurance coverage would not cover much after the required deductible.
Re: One time water issue in basement
Wow, 100 years with no water in the basement, you must have had great construction. Who was your builder?bhluckyusaguy wrote: ↑Sun Jan 03, 2021 6:10 pm I live in the Northeast too. Lived in a house from 2006 to 2106 with a sump pit but no pump with no leaks or water seepage at all - even during SuperStorm Sandy.
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Re: One time water issue in basement
Biff Tannenbikechuck wrote: ↑Sun Jan 03, 2021 7:10 pmWow, 100 years with no water in the basement, you must have had great construction. Who was your builder?bhluckyusaguy wrote: ↑Sun Jan 03, 2021 6:10 pm I live in the Northeast too. Lived in a house from 2006 to 2106 with a sump pit but no pump with no leaks or water seepage at all - even during SuperStorm Sandy.
Re: One time water issue in basement
I think a sump pump, possibly with a French drain may be in your future. The storms of a few weeks ago were significant, but not historic. This scenario will happen again.
When you have a sump, be sure to pay attention to its behavior in bad weather. It’s not a set it and forget it device. Learn when it is on and off. Make sure it is clear of debris. Make sure the float switch is unobstructed. You should learn how to maintain it, and have some plan in place for if you lose power, which will inevitably happen when you get a bad enough storm. Generator backup, battery backup, water powered backup are all options.
Believe it or not they are not very expensive either.
When you have a sump, be sure to pay attention to its behavior in bad weather. It’s not a set it and forget it device. Learn when it is on and off. Make sure it is clear of debris. Make sure the float switch is unobstructed. You should learn how to maintain it, and have some plan in place for if you lose power, which will inevitably happen when you get a bad enough storm. Generator backup, battery backup, water powered backup are all options.
Believe it or not they are not very expensive either.
Re: One time water issue in basement
If this winter season went by with multiple snow storms and rain events would anyone just leave things be? ( other than the exterior work)
Re: One time water issue in basement
A sump pump isn't all that expensive so that's probably the easiest solution after grading outside and such.
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Re: One time water issue in basement
I know someone personally in the basement waterproofing business. It's simple, your basement is either wet or dry and if it gets wet, it will get again. #1 Solution is the french drain. I didn't see that you had one, if you want to get full use of your basement without worry I would look into it.
Re: One time water issue in basement
Our sump pump would need piping to it since there is no gravel under the slab.....I got quoted 6k for the job.....
Is it possible that a sump pump without piping would work as water could still make its way to the pump?
Sorry for these novice questions.....
Is it possible that a sump pump without piping would work as water could still make its way to the pump?
Sorry for these novice questions.....
Re: One time water issue in basement
My suggestions
Check to see if your gutters are clogged.
Consider replacing the current gutters to a larger size to handle a greater run off from the roof so they don’t over flow.
Consider pvc piping system to channel the water away from the home to a dry well or out to the street.
Recheck the grade along the foundation.
Unless you have French drains I see a sump pump as useless.
Good luck.
Check to see if your gutters are clogged.
Consider replacing the current gutters to a larger size to handle a greater run off from the roof so they don’t over flow.
Consider pvc piping system to channel the water away from the home to a dry well or out to the street.
Recheck the grade along the foundation.
Unless you have French drains I see a sump pump as useless.
Good luck.
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Re: One time water issue in basement
^^^ ThisNormchad wrote: ↑Sun Jan 03, 2021 5:09 pm Is it possible that your gutters were full of snow or ice? If so, the rain would just come off the roof, bypassing the downspout, and land next to the foundation. So you’d have water near the foundation in places that normally wouldn’t get wet.
Ice dams are pretty common. As a kid, we had heaters in our gutters to melt them when this happened.
Come spring time, some yard grading and downspout extensions will likely fix everything, given how dry it’s been for 9 years.
Going into the winter, make sure your roof, gutters and leaders are clear of leaves and debris.
Use a snow rake to remove snow over and just above gutters to allow rain runoff to reach the gutters rather than flow over the gutters and onto the ground next to your foundation.
Adding insulation and/or roof electrical cords to melt snow/ice dams may also help to reduce ice dams.
Re: One time water issue in basement
We moved into a 90-year old house and our first fall there we had a freak rainstorm that devastated much in the area. The storm revealed some age-related masonry problems as well as foundation cracks. Moreover we had seepage come through where the concrete floor met the concrete walls due to water table pressure. We fixed the obvious problems and took care of some simple exterior changes. We re-did the floor to be glue down LVT planks so that any future water could find its way to the floor drains. We did put down carpet in one area but we chose a comfy but budget variety we wouldn't cry about if it had to be ripped up. We have furniture and cabinets that are off the floor in case we get water again.
So all in all, we didn't spend too much fixing it. We have had significant rainfall and snow melt (4" of standing water in our backyard), as well as sewer backup in the neighborhood, and so far we've been fine for 14 years. We've only had rain come in one place that is currently inaccessible due to some sweet 1970s cabinetry and all it did was trickle over to the drain, and we opened it up and dried it with a fan.
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Re: One time water issue in basement
IMO, preventing the water from getting into your basement is much preferred over a sump pump. The solution I used for a crawl space was a french drain and waterproofing the foundation walls. It stopped the water from coming in. I also routed gutter drains through the french drain. It is not the cheapest solution but is very effective.
Re: One time water issue in basement
If you're in the northeast, a sump or a French drain may address one issue (water management) while causing or exacerbate another (radon ingress). For ~$100 you can put a radon monitor to give you an idea of current radon status in your basement before taking action.
Also be aware that while plastic flooring is waterproof in the sense that water won't damage it, there is the possibility of mold growing under the flooring. If funding allows, consider ceramic tile for basement applications.
We built a water tolerant basement as follows:
Ceramic wood look tile
Drywall cut 1 inch above the floor to prevent wicking
Azek baseboard
Foam board insulation
Fingers crossed, we won't need it, but it is nice to know there will be little permanent damage should water get in.
Also be aware that while plastic flooring is waterproof in the sense that water won't damage it, there is the possibility of mold growing under the flooring. If funding allows, consider ceramic tile for basement applications.
We built a water tolerant basement as follows:
Ceramic wood look tile
Drywall cut 1 inch above the floor to prevent wicking
Azek baseboard
Foam board insulation
Fingers crossed, we won't need it, but it is nice to know there will be little permanent damage should water get in.
Re: One time water issue in basement
I agree about clearing snow from the immediate area of the foundation. You described a rainstorm while the lawn was temporarily impervious.
Two other things to consider are, yes, climate change - the character of storms since you moved in. And renovation by surrounding properties. We have much more runoff since most of our abutters cut down 75% of their 60'-70' trees. Some of them hated leaves in their swimming pool, others wanted to build putting greens and bluestone patios. Others reacted to tree fall reports on the news after big storms. Alas, our township committee has declared precast-pavers to count as non-impervious construction. Since the vast majority of pavers are in fact impervious, and 18"-24" of subsurface gravel and preparation is necessary to create a truly permeable paver job (and no one ever does that), runoff just gets worse and worse.
Edit: In my town, discharging sump pump water is regulated by law. Don't assume you can just put a pipe out of the foundation, or pointing at a neighbor's house.
Two other things to consider are, yes, climate change - the character of storms since you moved in. And renovation by surrounding properties. We have much more runoff since most of our abutters cut down 75% of their 60'-70' trees. Some of them hated leaves in their swimming pool, others wanted to build putting greens and bluestone patios. Others reacted to tree fall reports on the news after big storms. Alas, our township committee has declared precast-pavers to count as non-impervious construction. Since the vast majority of pavers are in fact impervious, and 18"-24" of subsurface gravel and preparation is necessary to create a truly permeable paver job (and no one ever does that), runoff just gets worse and worse.
Edit: In my town, discharging sump pump water is regulated by law. Don't assume you can just put a pipe out of the foundation, or pointing at a neighbor's house.
Last edited by crefwatch on Mon Jan 04, 2021 2:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: One time water issue in basement
Crefwatch: that makes a lot of sense about the trees....
Hand: I really like that idea about the "water tolerant" basement....
Hand: I really like that idea about the "water tolerant" basement....
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Re: One time water issue in basement
Like someone above, I don't think water in the basement is ever a one time event. Once water starts finding a way into your basement, it becomes easier and easier to get in through erosion of subsurface soils, expansion of things as infiltrating water freezes, etc. But I have never started with a wet basement that I couldn't get to being 100% dry (for now) through a combination of waterproofing, grading, landscaping, adding drains, sumps, etc. My first step would be identifying where it is coming in which may be a long wait or perhaps a combination of making intuitive hunches and posting someone with a garden hose applying water at a selected spot to try and replicate the monsoon that just happened to you.
Re: One time water issue in basement
As others have said, step one is going to be figuring out where the water is coming from. If it is working it's way up through a crack in the basement floor, that requires a different fix than if it is coming through a crack in an exterior basement wall. Figuring out where it's coming from is not easy. I assume at least some of the exterior basement walls are finished with sheetrock. That makes it impossible to know for certain if there is a crack in the wall without tearing out sheetrock, which would not make sense.
We had one spot where water was getting into our basement. It was, luckily, in an unfinished portion of the basement, through a crack in the wall. I had it filled with epoxy and it's been fine since.
Here is what I do: every time we get a hard rainfall, I visually check the exposed exterior walls where there are visible cracks to ensure no water is coming through. Then, I walk the perimeter of the finished portion of the basement to make sure there's no wet carpet along the exterior walls.
We had one spot where water was getting into our basement. It was, luckily, in an unfinished portion of the basement, through a crack in the wall. I had it filled with epoxy and it's been fine since.
Here is what I do: every time we get a hard rainfall, I visually check the exposed exterior walls where there are visible cracks to ensure no water is coming through. Then, I walk the perimeter of the finished portion of the basement to make sure there's no wet carpet along the exterior walls.
Re: One time water issue in basement
I've defintely done the "run a hose" method outside for 25 minutes and it was bone dry inside. Carpet was definetely wet on edges near the wall....sheetrock not damaged at all.....Utility room it was difficult to tell where the water was coming from as I was playing whack a mole with the water. When the rain stopped....the water immediately stopped....but then it started again and the water inside continued....there is a one foot hairline crack in the utility room floor that I should think about putting some concrete on? I can't imagine that being a huge problem but I guess water finds a way like you all mentioned. I really appreciate all the replies and the info I can pour through.
Re: One time water issue in basement
As someone else mentioned usually things are not one time.BashDash wrote: ↑Sun Jan 03, 2021 3:37 pm Hi all,
We have lived in a house for 9 years and have had zero water issues in the finished basement. This is in Northeast area. Have had plenty of snow, heavy rain over the years and no issues. We recently had 8 inch snow melt followed by a 2-3 inch rain storm. This did cause a water issue. Seepage on part of 2 basement walls but not on the walls. Ruined the carpet. Also, 1/4 inch of water in the utility room. It was difficult to tell where the water was coming from as using the shop vac.
At this point, I have put some extra long downspouts on the house, read the recent thread, and also had a contractor come over who suggested a multitude of options who was not trying to sell me the Brooklyn Bridge. He did say to wait 2-3 months to see if we learn anything.
We have done the simple, external work that from what I have read is a big part of the problem; getting the water AWAY from the house. The question is where do we go from here. Was this the perfect storm/combo of 8 inch snow melt followed by 2-3 inch rain? We do have plans of putting in a waterproof vinyl floor (coretec?). Would a sump pump be a good insurance? There is no gravel under the slab so the sump would have to have pipes dug out to it. Lots of options to remedy but who knows if the outdoor downspout remedy will be enough. Don't want to jump to conclusions if we have literally only had 1 water problem. Thanks for any insight or experience anyone may have had. Thanks!
My last house didn't have any basement flooding despite some huge storms but I did get some water spots on the floor. One time it was easy to understand because a power outage caused the sump pump to stop working during a 6" rainfall in under an hour (I got a battery backup to try and prevent that from occurring again). Another time I was more confused until I happened to noticed that the gutters on the back side of the house had water overflowing like a waterfall and, as things go badly, it flowed down directly into a basement window well that leaked the water into the basement. Once the gutters were cleaned I never had a problem. I made sure to get them cleaned every 6 months since I had some very large trees nearby.
In a non-basement water issue I once had water in the middle of the dining room ceiling. It was puzzling because the 2nd story had no leaks, there wasn't any visible path from a window or exterior wall, etc. I had a contractor fix the ceiling. He was good and kept investigating and found if he sprayed water from a hose nearly perpendicular to the exterior siding, there was a gap that allowed water in the house. He was able to repair that. Obviously most storms don't have water coming at that angle but some severe storms with high winds do strange things.
I can't say this for sure but another property had water issues that I think was due to a previous owner cutting down a Weeping Willow tree. Apparently those trees have long roots and suck up a lot of water. Once that tree was removed, water tended to pool and caused a lot of problems that required me getting drainage pipes put into the yard. It was a big mess. Can't say for sure if the tree was the cause but a neighbor said there were no problems prior to the tree being removed.
Good luck. Water issues have haunted me.
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Re: One time water issue in basement
OP,
I learned a hard lesson about sump pumps a few months ago when my basement flooded. I grew up in an area that didn't have basements and moved into this house with a basement 2 years ago. The basement was bone dry during rainstorms. However a few months ago we had 14 days of rain and the sump pit filled up a little and then stopped. There was a sump pump in the pit that would click on when I picked up the bladder switch and then turn off when I dropped it back, so I thought everything was okay.
The next morning, I walked downstairs and there was 2 inches of water in the basement. The bladder switch was floating, but had not turned on, even though the power was on. My wife and I drained the basement and I noticed as I was draining it that small air bubbles were coming up through the foundation as the water was draining out of the sump pit. That is when it hit me: the sump pump isn't preventing surface water from getting into your house. It is preventing water that is under your foundation from rising through the concrete.
We had our plumber come out the next week and he said we had a crappy sump pump and he installed a new one that has a much better on/off switch. It will click on for a second after a heavy rain, but the pit is 2 feet below the foundation.
Given your situation, if you have the money, I'd pay $6k for construction of a sum pit and then pay your plumber to put in a good sump pump and drainage pipe that goes away from your house by ~15 feet.
Good luck!
b
I learned a hard lesson about sump pumps a few months ago when my basement flooded. I grew up in an area that didn't have basements and moved into this house with a basement 2 years ago. The basement was bone dry during rainstorms. However a few months ago we had 14 days of rain and the sump pit filled up a little and then stopped. There was a sump pump in the pit that would click on when I picked up the bladder switch and then turn off when I dropped it back, so I thought everything was okay.
The next morning, I walked downstairs and there was 2 inches of water in the basement. The bladder switch was floating, but had not turned on, even though the power was on. My wife and I drained the basement and I noticed as I was draining it that small air bubbles were coming up through the foundation as the water was draining out of the sump pit. That is when it hit me: the sump pump isn't preventing surface water from getting into your house. It is preventing water that is under your foundation from rising through the concrete.
We had our plumber come out the next week and he said we had a crappy sump pump and he installed a new one that has a much better on/off switch. It will click on for a second after a heavy rain, but the pit is 2 feet below the foundation.
Given your situation, if you have the money, I'd pay $6k for construction of a sum pit and then pay your plumber to put in a good sump pump and drainage pipe that goes away from your house by ~15 feet.
Good luck!
b
Re: One time water issue in basement
Thanks for the super helpful posts!!!
- lthenderson
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Re: One time water issue in basement
With wet carpet near a sheetrocked wall, my money would be a hairline crack in that wall near that area as most slats used to support the sheetrock are run vertically so not to catch and retain water that might enter. I would look at that very area outside the house for cracks, low spots or plugged gutter overhead where an abnormal amount of water is falling close to your foundation.BashDash wrote: ↑Mon Jan 04, 2021 12:38 pm I've defintely done the "run a hose" method outside for 25 minutes and it was bone dry inside. Carpet was definetely wet on edges near the wall....sheetrock not damaged at all.....Utility room it was difficult to tell where the water was coming from as I was playing whack a mole with the water. When the rain stopped....the water immediately stopped....but then it started again and the water inside continued....there is a one foot hairline crack in the utility room floor that I should think about putting some concrete on? I can't imagine that being a huge problem but I guess water finds a way like you all mentioned. I really appreciate all the replies and the info I can pour through.
For the crack in the utility room floor, there really is no good solution that can overcome hydraulic pressures involved. Any new concrete won't adhere to the old concrete remotely well enough to be water tight against pressure. Most flexible sealants might work for low pressures for a year or two until they stiffen with age. Really the only way to stop water coming in through a crack in the floor is to relieve the water pressure which means installing sump pumps and/or french drains.
Re: One time water issue in basement
Thanks Ithenderson for your multiple posts and specific solutions!
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Re: One time water issue in basement
When the rain stopped....the water immediately stopped....but then it started again and the water inside continued....there is a one foot hairline crack in the utility room floor that I should think about putting some concrete on?
If I'm understanding this correctly, it seems that you have two problems arising from the same source. One is that "surface water" is quickly getting to the footing area of your foundation. The second is that "ground water" (the water that saturates the soil and slowly migrates within the soil) is also getting to that footing area. A leak caused by "surface water" will start soon after in begins to rain, and will stop after it stops raining, after some delay. Ground water leaks will occur after the ground becomes saturated and may continue for a day or so after rain ceases.
The source of the problem is that your foundation is not watertight at its base (almost none are) and that you apparently have no rock or gravel underneath your floor to create a cushion for any water encroachment into the hole that your house sits in. I'm wondering how you know that there is no stone under the foundation? My understanding is that it is common practice or code to have four to six inches of crushed stone under there. Without that, the installation of a sump pump may not give you the desired result.
It should be possible to mitigate any surface encroachment though.
Re: One time water issue in basement
Thanks Bogle grappler.
I drilled one hole in the concrete floor to see there was no gravel. I'm tempted to think I solved the problem because I had two obvious downspout issues that were pouring water exactly where they should not be. I did have a one inch rain recently as a test and it was bone dry. Also couple inches of snow that melted pretty quickly.
I drilled one hole in the concrete floor to see there was no gravel. I'm tempted to think I solved the problem because I had two obvious downspout issues that were pouring water exactly where they should not be. I did have a one inch rain recently as a test and it was bone dry. Also couple inches of snow that melted pretty quickly.
Re: One time water issue in basement
Update:
Have about 18 of 24 inches of snow melted at this point. Last night had a little under 1 inch of rain. No water in basement. Only change I made was improving two downspouts that were not properly placed. Thoughts?
Have about 18 of 24 inches of snow melted at this point. Last night had a little under 1 inch of rain. No water in basement. Only change I made was improving two downspouts that were not properly placed. Thoughts?
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Re: One time water issue in basement
Congratulations on your dry basement! Sounds like the downspouts were contributing to or the cause of your water intrusion. Just keep an eye out on it as water paths sometimes change over time.
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Re: One time water issue in basement
Bingo. Had house in NE. Wanted french drain put in but builder refused siting the slope of the yard front to back didn't need it.
10 years no issue then same scenario as OP and got water in basement ruined carpet. Put french drain inside with sump on 1/3 of basement foundation. Every big snow or rain had sump running for days. Suspect original flood changed the drainage pattern underground at the high point of the foundation. one time we got maybe 10 gallons in even with the sump working.
3 years later we sold it and about 5 years later major flood happened requiring some drywall needing to be replaced. Uncertain if sump failed...
Good Luck,
Wally
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Re: One time water issue in basement
Gutters and downspouts make a lot of difference. Hopefully that is your solution for now because I'm sure it is one of the cheapest solutions.
Re: One time water issue in basement
We bought a new home and finished the basement after about 10 years. Of course about a year later we had a significant water leak and so most of the expense of finishing the basement went down the toilet as insurance does not cover such an issue. It was suggested that we reroute water from the gutters, etc. all of which we did. We waited about a year or so and once we had big rains and no additional issues, we refinished the basement. Guess what? We had another big leak and again, we lost essentially all of the investment to refinish the basement. At that point we had a sump pump installed and it worked perfectly UNTIL we had a huge storm that knocked out our power and guess what, we didn't have a battery backup on the sump pump. You know where this is going. So I would NOT spend a nickel on your basement until you are absolutely sure that the water issue is addressed or you install a sump pump with a battery backup. Good luck.
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Re: One time water issue in basement
Good that the issue seems to be somewhat mitigated. The key is usually to minimize the amount of water trying to fill the hole your house sits in. Making sure what falls on the roof doesn't go straight into the hole is important.
Apparently, years ago, there was from time to time a practice of tying the downspouts directly into the footing drains in some areas. That is a serious mistake, and for anyone whose downspouts go into a buried drainpipe, its worthwhile trying to figure out where that pipe goes.
Obviously grading around the house is important, as you want the water to flow away from the house, and not back towards it. Sunken shrubbery beds are problematic in this situation.
It's worth noting that winter with frozen ground, followed by heavy rain, can create different runoff water patterns than what happens in summer with warm soil and no snow to influence the surface water flow.
Here's hoping that OPs solution holds. Good luck.
Apparently, years ago, there was from time to time a practice of tying the downspouts directly into the footing drains in some areas. That is a serious mistake, and for anyone whose downspouts go into a buried drainpipe, its worthwhile trying to figure out where that pipe goes.
Obviously grading around the house is important, as you want the water to flow away from the house, and not back towards it. Sunken shrubbery beds are problematic in this situation.
It's worth noting that winter with frozen ground, followed by heavy rain, can create different runoff water patterns than what happens in summer with warm soil and no snow to influence the surface water flow.
Here's hoping that OPs solution holds. Good luck.
Re: One time water issue in basement
Op here. Thanks for the responses! By no means are we declaring victory at this point. Our damage beyond the carpet was zero. No wall damage. The utility room received most water. We are considering a "water friendly" floor if we get a little in the future. I know this might seem crazy but not sure we want to do a big outdoor or indoor drain when we have had no issues for so long and a decent recent test with huge amounts of snow melt.
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Re: One time water issue in basement
I don’t recall if this was mentioned already, but consider putting water sensors around the basement areas with an alarm so you get early notice of any water intrusion.
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Re: One time water issue in basement
Holy Cow, that can cause huge problems. A friend of mine did that and water spouted out of the newly drilled hole.BashDash wrote: ↑Tue Jan 05, 2021 9:55 am Thanks Bogle grappler.
I drilled one hole in the concrete floor to see there was no gravel. I'm tempted to think I solved the problem because I had two obvious downspout issues that were pouring water exactly where they should not be. I did have a one inch rain recently as a test and it was bone dry. Also couple inches of snow that melted pretty quickly.
I failed to mention the wonderful construction technique used for my basement. The entire property is on a rolling hill. From the street to the back of the property is a few thousand feet. The original owner/builder tried perc tests all over the property. I'm along Rt 495 in Mass which means that under a few feet (or zero feet) is solid granite. This gives us two known issues. Radon and for the prior owner, blasting. I suspect that the blasting was not done well enough to drain water. When we first moved in, spring thaws raised the water level under our house. Micro cracks that you can't even see when it's dry would slowly weep water in. As the basement guy explained, showing me the discoloration on the walls and the obvious floor cracks, water got up several feet above the basement floor. I describe what's under my house as a nice granite cup. It fills with water and the pressure pushed water into our basement. We'd get several inches of water in the basement before treatment with channels put around the inside of the floors, inside the footings leading to the sump pump. Water still builds up and gets to the sump pump, but it no longer pushes through the micro cracks. I'm sure there are other situations where water can push up through a floor or wall.
Bogle: Smart Beta is stupid
Re: One time water issue in basement
Me again..........Massive amount of snow melt this winter in the northeast. Bone dry. Last week over an inch of rain following the snow melt. Bone dry. During the snow melt and the rain I noticed one of my re-adjusted downspouts is letting a huge amount of water out. Before my readjustment this was heading straight down into the foundation. Most of water was in utility room during the initial water issue. Seriously contemplating getting some vinyl floor estimates. I know this might seem crazy.
Re: One time water issue in basement
My understanding is that while the vinyl flooring itself is waterproof, it can allow moisture and mold underneath.
Not surprisingly, the "luxury vinyl tile" marketing material does not make mention of this risk.
That being said, lots of people seem to really like LVT in their homes.
Not surprisingly, the "luxury vinyl tile" marketing material does not make mention of this risk.
That being said, lots of people seem to really like LVT in their homes.
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Re: One time water issue in basement
My guess would be that the ground was saturated with water and seeped in thru cracks in your floor or foundation. The cracks didn't go away. They are still there - the ground under and around your house just isn't saturated with water.BashDash wrote: ↑Tue Mar 23, 2021 9:14 am Me again..........Massive amount of snow melt this winter in the northeast. Bone dry. Last week over an inch of rain following the snow melt. Bone dry. During the snow melt and the rain I noticed one of my re-adjusted downspouts is letting a huge amount of water out. Before my readjustment this was heading straight down into the foundation. Most of water was in utility room during the initial water issue. Seriously contemplating getting some vinyl floor estimates. I know this might seem crazy.
Think of your house as a "ship". Before I replaced flooring or drywall or baseboards - I'd maybe look into a "waterproofing" company that seals up cracks in the foundation and floor.
I'm guessing that if you do not deal with the cracks now - you will eventually have a "damp" basement even when you don't see any seepage as the cracks let moisture in.
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Re: One time water issue in basement
Downspouts draining onto the foundation can be a primary source of the problem. I too had a two-time water problem during major rain storms in the basement of a new (to us) house that had recently been renovated. The builder cheated at the end of the project and put in an underground perforated pipe as the drain from a downspout! All the water just went through the holes in the pipe straight down the outside of the basement wall! I redirected the water out 4 feet into the yard (on a slope away from the house) and no water in the basement for 4 months including 24" of snow and two 2"+ rain storms. I consider the problem solved. YMMV.BashDash wrote: ↑Tue Mar 23, 2021 9:14 am Me again..........Massive amount of snow melt this winter in the northeast. Bone dry. Last week over an inch of rain following the snow melt. Bone dry. During the snow melt and the rain I noticed one of my re-adjusted downspouts is letting a huge amount of water out. Before my readjustment this was heading straight down into the foundation. Most of water was in utility room during the initial water issue. Seriously contemplating getting some vinyl floor estimates. I know this might seem crazy.
I'll be installing a proper underground pipe to a dry well later this year outside as part of a landscaping project to make the solution permanent.
The key here is to manage water flow around the foundation. If it can be managed, use that as your primary solution. If it can't you need the more complicated remediations.
Re: One time water issue in basement
Thanks for the replies! Forgot to add I was considering 5 inch gutters too to help with drainage during heavy rain.