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| My Foundation Is Leaking After A Big Melt | |
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| Topic Started: Dec 28 2016, 07:22 AM (1,621 Views) | |
| wildie | Jan 6 2017, 05:41 PM Post #61 |
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Veteran Member
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When I finished a room in my basement, I had a good look at using Thermodry subflooring. However, my house is older and was built with 84" (7 feet) from the floor to the underside of the over-head floor joists. The Thrmodry subfloor was 2" thick and the gypsum drywall one half inch. Leaving only 6' 9.5" of headroom. I opted to use dimpled plastic sheeting under 5/16" flooring. By the way, I installed a standard bathroom ventilation fan in such a manner that air can be forced under the dimpled plastic sheeting should water find its way underneath. In order to quickly dry it out. |
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| Trotsky | Jan 7 2017, 12:56 AM Post #62 |
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Big City Boy
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Calm, That water powered system strikes me as operating on Bernoulli's Principal. A large flow of water through a pipe restriction will lower the pressure at that restriction and that low pressure (suction) will suck smaller amounts of water from the sump. I see two problems: 1. the excess water from what is in essence an open hose to the outside of the foundation may increase the water infiltration back into the house 2. water is expensive I see its use only if set to operate when sump fills AND the power is off, thus used only as a adjunct to an electric pump. Edited by Trotsky, Jan 7 2017, 01:14 AM.
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| Calm | Jan 7 2017, 04:11 AM Post #63 |
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Small Star Member
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Hi! Trotsky Yeh, I see the water powered sump pump being only as a back up if the power goes out. That is why I am thinking about getting the product. I only took a cursory look at the product. I need to calculate how many gallons per minute it can pump and discharge. Right now, I am using a 1/4 hp electric. I think this particular pump is 1/3 hp. Anyways I gotta research it. Right now it is not the law in my town to have a back up sump pump, but it very soon will be. Insurance companies are going to refuse flood insurance to any house without a back up system. I think I sort of live below sea level. I am surrounded by fresh water lakes and rivers and I live in a valley. On the flooring..... Your comment gave me lots to think about and consider. Thank you for the heads up on that. Very kind of you. I have a contractor coming on Wednesday to give me an estimate for a new weeping tile trip done from "Inside" the basement, as shown in a video posted above. Another estimate for filling any cracks in concrete walls and to waterproof them from "Inside" the basement, plus insulation and new moisture proof drywall. And, a floor.... Because of the depth or height problems, I may need to have the basement floor dug deeper. Calm Edited by Calm, Jan 7 2017, 04:14 AM.
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| campy | Jan 7 2017, 12:53 PM Post #64 |
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Handyman Extraordinaire
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Forget everything except sealing the outside foundation. The water is coming in at the joint between the footing and the wall because during a heavy downpour the tiles can't carry it away fast enough. That's where a high capacity sump pump is needed. Your sump pump is probably working daily. Don't try to get away cheap if you want peace of mind. Forget about finishing off a basement until things settle down. |
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| Calm | Jan 7 2017, 02:10 PM Post #65 |
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Small Star Member
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Hi! Campy Are you suggesting that a 1/4 hp sump pump may be too small? Can't they just install another set of weeping tiles, just below the existing ones, and catch any water or overflow which the original weeping tiles have? And, can't they seal any cracks from inside near the wall/floor "footing" from inside? Sort of see or find damage to wall/meetfloor area, drill and remove debris around it, then pump in some type of sealant? That is what the video was suggesting. Are you saying that just "Possibly" the video is good as a sales pitch, but not really practical? I appreciate your help. I got til Wednesday to complete my research before the contractor arrives. I have no intention at all to make commitments of any kind with any contractor. Probably not until maybe June or next fall. I am only doing exploratory stuff .... seeking information. Calm |
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| campy | Jan 7 2017, 02:21 PM Post #66 |
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Handyman Extraordinaire
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It has been my experience that they might have a scheme for drainage inside the walls. Due to hydrostatic pressure there's no way to stop water at gravity from inside. Has to be from outside. Try poly film on the inside. Won't work. Poly film on the outside will hold back water. See what the contractor is offering first. Don't commit till you get references to other installations in your neighborhood. |
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| Dialtone | Jan 7 2017, 02:22 PM Post #67 |
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Gold Star Member
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Calm, nobody on this forum is even close to being an expert on your situation. Get a professional assessment, if it costs you a few hundred, it is money well spent. Contractors have their own bank accounts in mind, and IMO, you are a sitting duck to get ripped off. |
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| Trotsky | Jan 8 2017, 02:23 AM Post #68 |
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Big City Boy
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THat is, how does one say it in English, a BUMMER. I got curious WHERE you were, Calm, that was below sea level suspecting it was not New Orleans, Amsterdam, or the shore of the Dead Sea, and I checked your first post (200 SW of Ontario.) I place that as Windsor <or Techumseh>, Ontario (or Detroit Michigan.) Usually homes below sea level are built on slabs without basements. If your basement is below the water table you are well and truly screwed because there's a LOT of water in the great lakes. If so, sell the joint or get a windmill to pump your area dry 24/7 and twice as fast during storms. Edited by Trotsky, Jan 8 2017, 02:48 AM.
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| campy | Jan 8 2017, 03:24 AM Post #69 |
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Handyman Extraordinaire
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What we call it in Canada is a low water table. In some areas in Canada the water table is low. Where I live. Putting in a fence post and you will hit water at 4 feet. And it depends on the underground structure. If there is Clay there's no were for the water to go. My friend lives in a low water table area. He monitors the drain tiles coming into the basement and running out to the city drain almost daily.Has to keep them clean because of very fine silt piling up and clogging the output drain. He also has a battery assisted Sump pump pumping excess all year long outside on to the lawn. None of this stops a very, very, heavy downpour because the drain can;t carry the water away fast enough in which case he uses the backup stop valve Keep working on it. Keep getting understanding of the system and it will click into place exactly what you need to satisfy you requirements. |
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| campy | Jan 8 2017, 05:34 AM Post #70 |
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Handyman Extraordinaire
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In way of experience. My father was a contactor. Built many basement style home. |
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| Calm | Jan 8 2017, 05:43 AM Post #71 |
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Small Star Member
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Hi! Campy Do you know whether or not this idea about putting weeping tile from inside the basement can help (not completely solve) my problem. This video claims that it can be done. Is video only 20% true as an example? How to waterproof Leaky Stone Foundations All things basement (YouTube Video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roirRQECvLQ I don't think I have any problem with leaking foundation walls. I think it is all happening at concrete wall/cement basement floor area. Where they meet. I think it may be called "footing". Some very small hairline cracks in certain parts of the concrete basement floor and some very small amount of water/moisture bubbling up. No leakage at all is happening today. It only happened after catastrophic snow melt and severe rain storm. During this past two days, some small amount of water seeped into basement just during a bit of rain, but I was thinking that it might be because the ground is totally saturated because of the huge snow melt from 2 weeks ago. I have only had 2 major leakage trips in the past 2 years and each followed a huge weather event. Calm Edited by Calm, Jan 8 2017, 05:55 AM.
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| campy | Jan 8 2017, 06:32 AM Post #72 |
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Handyman Extraordinaire
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I have seen that idea on this old house but having no experience cannot vouch for it. It would seem that be always wet on the inside'. You are literally letting the water in. If you can check with other home owners in your area they can give you or even she you their setup and if it works. It requires monitoring. Are the drain tiles emptieng into the sump. Can you see them runnin Yes the problem is always between the footing and the wall. That's not poured in one piece. If the seepage always takes place in one corner dig down and seal it and use lots of crushed gravel which drains the water away to the weeping tile. Edited by campy, Jan 8 2017, 09:32 AM.
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| Trotsky | Jan 8 2017, 06:56 AM Post #73 |
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Big City Boy
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Calm, Do you think you can dig around the perimeter of the house deep enough and then spray-waterproof the outside wall. If you want a DIY project you could try that Liquid FLEX SEAL that is advertised to death. https://www.walmart.com/ip/SWIFT-RESPONSE-LLC-Liquid-Rubber-Black-16-oz./52550347 You could do it in sections starting with the most egregiously leaking area. How deep down do you think you need to go? I am not advertising the stuff so no guarantee from me. Your idea of letting the water IN and then pumping it OUT is going to give you a serious eventual mold problem. Keeping it out is the way to go. Edited by Trotsky, Jan 8 2017, 06:58 AM.
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| wildie | Jan 8 2017, 09:22 AM Post #74 |
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Veteran Member
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Here in London we draw water from Lake Erie. The city had two reservoir tanks built at the terminus of the line. These tanks were made of concrete, including the bottoms. At completion one tank was filled with water as a test. For some reason there was a major leak and water found its way under the floor of the 2nd tank. The hydraulic pressure caused the floor of the empty tank to rise up and buckle. The contractors insurance had a big hit when these floors had to be removed and rebuilt. I recount this, as water under a floor can cause it to buckle and crack. Placing tiles on the inside of the wall can keep water pressure from building up under the slab and causing it to buckle and crack. This would only be effective if its proven that water is accumulating under the slab. If in fact, the water is coming through the wall, then its imperative that the wall would be sealed from the outside. At my last place, this what I had to do. I hired a man to excavate down to the footings. There were no tiles as the house was built in 1911. I cleaned the outside of the walls down using a wire brush. Making sure that there was no mud buildup on the surface, then I filled any divots with hydraulic cement, followed by a commercial sealer to the walls and on top of the footing. I put two coats of sealer on and this ended my water problems. Tiles on the inside are only effective in removing water under the slab. Edited by wildie, Jan 8 2017, 09:25 AM.
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| campy | Jan 8 2017, 09:38 AM Post #75 |
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Handyman Extraordinaire
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That's the way it's done now Trotsky. They spray first. Then add a waterproof membrane (Just thick poly sheets). But now they also add a porous membrane in sheets which lets the water drain down before it hits the wall. Seems to me Calm has a good setup that needs a bit of tweaking. If he can see water draining into the sump then the weeping tiles are working. That's really all you can ask for. A separate sump and pump in the basement wouldn't hurt either. That's what my friend has.And that's what some house have without any weeping tile at all. |
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