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I just moved in to a 7 yr old house with a poured concrete basement. There is a thin crack running down the lower corner of a basement window, about 4 ft. I see the crack inside and outside.
During Sandy, I saw a little water (drops) seeping thru, so before it gets worse, I want to fix it properly. I'm really confused about the best way to go, so wondering if you guys can advise. Below are what I know so far and I'd love to hear if you guys can tell me which is the best/most cost effective and which to avoid.
(1) The home inspector I used said to just buy a 'concrete sealant' that comes in a caulking tube and apply over the crack.
(2) I remember seeing a This Old House episode where Tom Silvia had the homeowner chisel out a half inch notch all along the crack and then used a flat bladed tool to apply hydraulic cement (?) that came in a power which he mixed into a paste with water.
(3) Searching online shows a variety of product kits that require injecting an expanding solution into the crack at 8 -12 inch intervals. Some say epoxy injections will harden and eventually also fail while urethane is flexible. This is the most expensive option so wondering if it's worth it.
Whichever way you go about it, you need to seal that crack outside, which means you might need to dig out your foundation outside. This is super important. You can't just seal from the inside because water will still get into the wall from the outside. This isn't about preventing water from getting into your basement. It's all about preventing water from getting into the concrete and destroying your foundation. A poured concrete foundation is a fortune to replace compared to a concrete block foundation or even a sandstone foundation. I should know because I have a poured concrete room under my porch. It's just 6' x 18' and will cost close to 15k to replace.
Pics would help!
But remember one thing- the BEST repair is made at the source (exterior) not the interior side.
Hydraulic cement, caulks, epoxies, etc. all have their place and particular nuiances. Any and all MAY work, but it depends on the crack- in otherwords; what caused the crack.
I too have a foundation crack diagonal down from the edge of a window--which is a typical place for a foundation crack.
Before doing a lot of research, a Home Depot employee recommended the hydraulic cement. My brother dug down about 3 feet outside my window and applied the hydraulic cement. After researching, I found several epoxy and polyurethane injection kits to consider to fix the crack on the inside. I never did get around to doing that and haven't had any water issues since. That area is still unfinished. It will eventually be part of a basement bathroom. I'll address the interior crack before then if it shows signs of leaking, if not, I'll just pay a professional to deal with it when the bathroom is put in.
If I do decide to tackle this myself, I'd buy a low viscosity polyurethane kit as it's supposed to work better with hairline cracks and really seep in to seal water out. Not supposed to need chiseling with the low viscosity product.
These cracks are usually referred to as shrinkage cracks. The foundation wall as a continuious surface plane will shrink evenly along both axis-
But interrupt that plane with an opening (or discontinuity) and forces tend to work against each other.
Shrinkage cracks may have their origin at these points of discontinuity.
I just moved in to a 7 yr old house with a poured concrete basement. There is a thin crack running down the lower corner of a basement window, about 4 ft. I see the crack inside and outside.
During Sandy, I saw a little water (drops) seeping thru, so before it gets worse, I want to fix it properly. I'm really confused about the best way to go, so wondering if you guys can advise. Below are what I know so far and I'd love to hear if you guys can tell me which is the best/most cost effective and which to avoid.
(1) The home inspector I used said to just buy a 'concrete sealant' that comes in a caulking tube and apply over the crack.
(2) I remember seeing a This Old House episode where Tom Silvia had the homeowner chisel out a half inch notch all along the crack and then used a flat bladed tool to apply hydraulic cement (?) that came in a power which he mixed into a paste with water.
(3) Searching online shows a variety of product kits that require injecting an expanding solution into the crack at 8 -12 inch intervals. Some say epoxy injections will harden and eventually also fail while urethane is flexible. This is the most expensive option so wondering if it's worth it.
You've got to be kidding right (in red above)?? Of course that's a rhetorical question!
I may live in the land of virtually no basements but I came from the land of basements. I've had plenty of opportunities to help correct leaking basements. Hopes is correct that you need to find the exterior leak point. It could be as simple as water penetrating an above ground and visible crack point, or a crack under a basement window casing that is not visible, or many other possibilities. Without getting detailed the exterior entry point can always be many feet away from the interior exit point. Just sealing the interior might stop the water from exiting into the basement but not sealing the entry point can potentially cause long term damage.
Epoxy injection methods can work to seal from the inside out but can be very expensive depending on what voids are present inside the wall. Hydraulic cements can patch the interior crack but again do nothing really different for the problem than the Home Inspector's "Caulk the crack" method!
What you might want to consider is looking over the visible exterior walls and perform the following first.
Seal any cracks with appropriate sealers.
Use a good grade of exterior caulk to seal around basement window frames where they meet the concrete.
Look for any other penetration in the walls such as gas lines, hosebibs, etc., and make sure that they are properly sealed around to prevent them from allowing water entry.
Once you have done this go to the interior crack and clean it good to remove any debris or stains from the surface if you can. Don't widen or disturb the crack itself. Then monitor the crack for future water exiting during rains, snow melts, etc. Unless you plan to finish off the basement just leave it open for a few years just to be sure. If you don't see any further water exiting, and the crack does not increase in size, then you can patch it from the inside and pretty up the walls.
eggalegga - My crack looks just like yours. And on the outside, there is a visible crack as well pretty much in the same corner and goes down below the soil (don't know how far down under the soil). So wondering:
When you dug down 3 feet and applied the hydraulic cement, did you do any widening of the crack or was the cement applied right on top of the crack?
Quote:
Originally Posted by eggalegga
I too have a foundation crack diagonal down from the edge of a window--which is a typical place for a foundation crack.
Before doing a lot of research, a Home Depot employee recommended the hydraulic cement. My brother dug down about 3 feet outside my window and applied the hydraulic cement. After researching, I found several epoxy and polyurethane injection kits to consider to fix the crack on the inside. I never did get around to doing that and haven't had any water issues since. That area is still unfinished. It will eventually be part of a basement bathroom. I'll address the interior crack before then if it shows signs of leaking, if not, I'll just pay a professional to deal with it when the bathroom is put in.
If I do decide to tackle this myself, I'd buy a low viscosity polyurethane kit as it's supposed to work better with hairline cracks and really seep in to seal water out. Not supposed to need chiseling with the low viscosity product.
Good luck to you whatever you decide.
escanlan - What you said makes sense. I'll patch the outside first, then wait and see if any water weeps inside. That way I can make sure there is no water going into the foundation to begin with.
On your prior thread, it was suggested that you have a professional independent inspector advise you before you bought the house. What was the outcome of that inspection? The realtor's inspector has an ongoing interest in the outcome of the sale as they are all part of the same food chain.
On your prior thread, it was suggested that you have a professional independent inspector advise you before you bought the house. What was the outcome of that inspection? The realtor's inspector has an ongoing interest in the outcome of the sale as they are all part of the same food chain.
I used Tiger inspection, not realtor's reco. He told me to do #1.
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