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So I have a semi-below grade basement and in some corners there is a little bit of water coming through the cinder block. This is not like buckets of water but damp enough to cause some problems since the basement was semi-finished.
I ripped out the finished walls and had DryPro, a basement waterproofing company come out and take a look. They, of course, want to sell me a 5 - 10K solution of installing a sump pump inside or outside the house.
My question is does anyone here have any experience using dryloc, sani-tred or some other less expensive solution? Personally, I like to start on the low end of solutions and then move up if they fail.
We used Drylok on a similar wall condition near 20 years ago and so far have had great results - the concrete masonry (CMU) basement walls were finished with gypsum board and while they did not have any interior insulation, they had an aluminum foil vapor barrier/reflective insulation on wood furring strips. the trapped moisture between the CMU and foil resulted in deterioration of the wood furring and organic growth; water also seeped onto the floor slab and wet the carpet floor finish.
We removed the gypsum board wall finish, foil, and furring strips, cleaned the wall and removed all efflorescence, removed all loose mortar and patched open joints and voids with hydraulic cement, and applied two coats of Drylok. After the Drylok had dried, we installed new rigid insulation directly against the CMU wall and new stud framing that did not penerate the wall (or new waterproofing) and finished with gypsum board.
In addition, we regraded around the perimeter of the house and installed subsurface storm drainage so that storm water was directed away from the house or otherwise managed.
So far the repair is working well.
So I have a semi-below grade basement and in some corners there is a little bit of water coming through the cinder block.
First problem- CMU's (concrete masonry units) That gives me an idea of the age of the house. Which probably means it was only damp-proofed on the exterior, instead of waterproofed.
Second- @ corners- It would be a sure bet that there is a downspout at each of those corners. Piping downspouts away (12+ feet) from the house with SOLID 4" corrugated pipe will certainly curtail that problem. Depending on the grade around the house you can use pop up emitters or carry the pipe all the way to the street.
Foundation perimeter drain- depending on the age of the house (?); non-existent, collapsed, clogged, or buried outlets.
Raised beds against foundation? I see this so often, people should be shot. Final grade is established for a reason (most importantly for drainage), and damp-proofing and/or waterproofing is only done to the point of that determined final grade. When the grade is raised above it's intended mark, the soil holds moisture against the non-protected area of the foundation- allowing moisture (water) to penetrate the wall.
Grade- As a general rule, when a foundation is built (basement) the intended area is excavated. And it is "over-cut" by 3-4'. Allowing enough room for the masons and foundation drain people to work. After completion this area is "back-filled" in "lifts". Complete compaction is usually not accomplished so, it is "over-filled". As the construction time continues on compaction will occur naturally. Then when it's time to establish that final grade and install landscaping, the area around the foundation should be significantly compacted. But, as the years go by it can settle even more creating a slight trough around the house that will hold water against it- instead of shedding water away from the foundation.
CMU foundations are alive and well in TN. We have very few poured concrete foundations in this area. When I lived in SoCA, we ONLY had poured concrete foundations in my area.
Its a regional thing.
I agree with K. If the water is coming in at the corners, I would check the downspouts and grading in those areas first.
What i would do first is to take a close look all around the foundation outside the house, or have someone who knows what to look for performing the inspection. Look at the following:
a. Ground by the foundation properly graded (high at the foundation, sloped away from it)
b. make sure that you have installed gutters, and that the drain spouts are directed away from the foundation
c. No low areas or holes anywhere by the foundation
After making sure that the ground around the foundation is properly graded and that gutters are properly installed, then I would be looking at the base course around the foundation since this can be expensive and requires a lot of work.
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