In the 20 years I spent as a professional home inspector, the top three problems my home-buying clients were concerned about can best be summed up this way: water, water and water! Waterproofing your home is the surest way to avoid a wet basement and make sure buyers stay interested.
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While water leaks through roofs, pipes and basements are constant concerns, a wet, leaking basement is always ranked highest as the home improvement problem most likely to send buyers running for the nearest open house.
Whether you are a buyer, seller or owner of a home, water damage from wet basements are always a concern. Not only is a wet basement unusable, flooded foundations can be seriously weakened. Toxic mold the newest threat to residential indoor air quality–can fester when an ample supply of water lies just underfoot.
When basements leak, people panic. The trouble, however, can usually be traced to the drainage conditions around the outside of the house. If too much water is allowed to collect in the soil around your home’s foundation it will naturally leak into the basement. Water will leak through the basement walls, or even up through the center of the basement floor.
The good news about these unplanned indoor pools is this. While wet basements are often thought of as one of life’s biggest home repair headaches, basement water problems are generally easy and inexpensive to fix. Yes, that’s right–easy and inexpensive!
The wrong way to waterproof a wet basement
Ask 10 people how to fix a wet basement and you’re likely to get lots of answers. You’ll hear about using jackhammers to break up basement floors and backhoes to dig out dirt from foundation walls. Others will advise to install drain tile, or have a plumber add a sump pump and other such expensive drain systems.
While these solutions may seem to make sense, they all attempt the impossible: to seal a foundation so tightly that it will somehow hold off water like a boat. Well, unless your house is a houseboat, it won’t float. So you might as well stop thinking about all the ways to keep it from doing that.
Most people blame a wet basement on a high water table, the natural level of water in the soil under the building site. This is another myth, because homes are not built below water tables. Builders attempting such a feat would find themselves constructing a foundation in a muddy mess.
Why is water in my basement after a heavy rain?
Likewise, flooded basements that happen after a heavy rain or snow melt are never caused by rising water tables. A water table moves slowly and seasonally. If basement leaks show up after a heavy rain or snowmelt, the cause of your problem is far easier to spot and to fix.
The most common cause of basement leaks can be traced to trouble with the drainage conditions around the outside of the house. If too much water is allowed to collect in the soil around the foundation, water flows will naturally leak into the basement through the walls. Or water may even force seepage up through the center of the basement floor.
If you’d like to stop water problems once and for all, stop nervously checking your sump pit after rainfalls and get rid of dehumidifiers — the waterproofing solution lies in improving these drainage conditions. The best news is this: these improvements are easy, cheap and highly effective! Here’s where to begin…
Get good gutters and keep them clean
Roof drainage is, by far, the number one cause of basement leakage. Since roof surfaces are as large as the house, they collect lots of water in heavy rainstorms. What happens to that collected water can mean the difference between a wet and a dry basement.
Properly designed gutters should have at least one downspout for every 600 to 800 square feet of roof surface. Gutters must be clean! Gutters with clogs will fill up causing the water to overflow directly to where you don’t want it: near the foundation.
It’s also important to make sure the ends of the downspouts are extended to discharge at least four to six feet from the foundation. Spouts which discharge too close to the foundation are like big fire hoses blasting water into the basement.
If your yard permits, one of the best ways to control roof drainage is to discharge downspouts into solid PVC plumbing pipes. These pipe should run underground and release water to the street or to another low-lying area. When making this improvement, be sure to pitch the pipe slightly toward the discharge point to avoid backups. Also, be sure the end of the pipe is visible. This way you can access it for cleaning if a clog were to occur.
Also, don’t attempt this with the soft, flexible black pipe that landscapers like to use around flower beds, because it’s easily crushed and cannot be snaked clean like PVC plumbing pipe can.
Slope soil to shed surface water away from house
Next to gutter problems, the angle of the soil around the foundation perimeter can also cause wet basement woes. The soil should slope away from the house to keep rainfall from collecting against foundation walls.
The angle and type of soil are also important. The soil should slope downward six inches over the first four feet from the foundation wall. Thereafter, it can be graded more gradually but should never allow water to run back toward the house.
If grading needs improvement, use clean fill dirt (not topsoil) to build up the soil around your house. Tamp the soil down to the correct slope and finish with a layer of topsoil. Then add grass seed to prevent erosion. Or, just use stone or mulch.
Whatever the top layer is, be certain the slope is established with the fill dirt. Otherwise the water will just run through the more porous material and into the basement. Also, don’t use straight topsoil for the grading improvement. This kind of soil is too organic. It will hold water against the foundation, which is the opposite of what needs to be done.
It is also important to avoid landscape treatments that hold soil close to the house. A brick, stone or timber landscape edging around flower beds adjacent to foundation walls may look attractive. However, these edges can prevent water from draining away from the foundation and increase your risk of basement flooding.
What to do about window wells
Window wells, the area of your foundation landscape that is carved out to let light into the basement window, are a place where homeowners struggle to stop leaks. The truth is that the window wells themselves are rarely the cause of any leaks – or certainly any additional leaks. The small amount of water that gets in from direct rainfall will simply drain through the soil like any other area of your yard.
That said, once you’ve addressed the far bigger and more important issue of gutters that are not draining away from the house, and grading that slopes into the foundation, there are two things you can do.
First, make sure that you add stone to the bottom of the window well. That tip will help keep the windows clean from mud that would otherwise splash up on the windows.
Secondly, you can add a window well cover to the top of the window wells. This will prevent direct rainfall from getting in the well. But remember it will also stop you from being able to open those basement windows for ventilation. If you do add window well covers, do a good job! Make sure they are well attached and sealed to the siding. Use a good quality caulk to the siding so that water doesn’t drip between the well cover and the home.
Other causes of basement leaks
Use common sense to check for other detriments to good drainage. For example, in the years I spent as a professional home inspector, I would frequently find bricks or wood landscape ties used to create planting areas around the foundation.
This is a REALLY bad idea! Think about it – this kind of edging holds excess water against the house which is exactly what you are trying to prevent! Likewise, heavily overgrown bushes and trees can also prevent good drainage and lead to foundation leaks. Its important to manage this surface water to prevent it from becom ing basement water!
Avoid panic-peddling waterproofing contractors!
If you’ve ever thought about hiring a so-called waterproofing contractor to fix your wet basement, DON’T. Basement waterproofing companies can often be rip-off artists. They attempt to scare homeowners into an expensive waterproofing system when they’re usually not needed.
These slippery salesmen use terms like “hydrostatic pressure”. They’ll talk of foundation walls that will bend and crack and warn of toxic mold spreading throughout the house. They may say the mortar joints in your foundation walls will disintegrate and the walls collapse if you don’t have this work done immediately. And that they’ll need to use hydraulic cement to seal any gaps.
Finally, they’ll tell you they need to tear up your concrete floor, install french drains or another expensive interior drain system!
Scared yet? Don’t be! These often outrageous claims are designed to get you to pry open your wallet and pay them for a repair that is usually NOT needed.
The truth is this kind of waterproofing work is totally and completely unnecessary – virtually all of the time! It’s just not very profitable for them to tell you what you really need to do because that fix carries a very small cost.
What about leaking crawlspaces?
The same advice provided here to stop leaking and flooded basements applies to crawlspaces as well. There’s just one extra step. Once the drainage issues have been fixed, it’s smart to add a plastic vapor barrier across the entire crawl space floor.
This will stop any remaining moisture build up in the soil from evaporating into the floor structure of your house. This in turn will prevent rot and mold in the floor beams. It will also keep the floor insulation dry which makes it a much more effective insulator.
Conclusion
Following these simple guidelines will stop water from leaking into your basement 99 percent of the time. These waterproofing improvements are inexpensive and can usually be done by yourself or with a little help from your friends!
Completely up-to-date information on the Water, water, and more water! That pretty much sums up the top three issues that my house-buying clients were worried about over my many years of professional home inspections.
My water problem in the basement is around the chimney, which is in the middle of the house. After very heavy rain water comes in. Is this a chimney issue?
No, water is just coming up because that area is a break in the floor. Follow the advice in the post about making sure your gutters are clear, free flowing, have downspouts that are extended at least a few feet from the foundation and properly designed.
Hi,
So I am a fairly new homeowner and Am absolutely terrified I may have purchased a home with a hugely expensive problem.
I’ve come to notice due to excessive rain over the past few months
My basement flooded whenever it rains so I took what I Thought was proactive preventive steps. I used FLEX Seal along the area of Wall/floor where water floods thru .
It had seemed to mostly be working but now I’ve noticed the wall in that same area has peeling and bubbled paint which I’m guessing means the rain water is finding a new path
What should I do?
Or Who should I call to help?
Hi Sarah, take a breath! The fact that your home floods when it rains means this is an EASY problem to fix. Follow the steps I have laid out in this post, starting with your gutters. They must be clean, free flowing and — VERY IMPORTANT – draining 4 to 6 feet from the house foundation. Do not hire a waterproofer – they’ll just rip your off. The key is this: you can not “seal” the basement against the flood! If you manage the water as I have explained through basic gutter modification and improved grading, it’ll magically dry up!
Ok Tom. I’ve read everything here and agree with all of your suggestions. My question is, do you have any advice on how to seal a concrete floor of a house that actually was built in an area prone to water table fluctuations?
I live about 1/4 mile from the Platte river in Nebraska. Basically in a river valley 2 miles wide created by the melting glaciers of the last ice age.
Two years ago, 2019, we experienced a 500 year flood event. I had 34 1/2″ of water in my kitchen, utility room and bathroom which happen to be, you guessed it, 34 1/2″ below ground level.
I took several weeks to get the water out of my house and ever time it rained for months after the water would seep back in.
So I spent the money and had the drain system installed. I’ve got a back up battery on the sump and I am intrigued by a water powered back up system that I’ve just recently found out about.
I guess some voice in my head kept me from refinishing that level and I’ve been living with a makeshift kitchen of folding tables, a utility sink, used appliances and a portable dishwasher for two years.
Well, this year the ice jammed up on the river January 30th and didn’t clear out until March 3rd. The water table came up and the sump was keeping up with it. Yesterday we had 4″ of rain and that voice in my head that kept me from rebuilding was proven correct. While the drainage system seems to be working, I now see moisture around hairline cracks in the floor.
I’ve been researching waterproofing products for hours and was wondering if you have any suggestions with all of your years of experience. Thoroseal seems to be my best option from everything I’ve seen, but I’d really appreciate a non biased opinion. Thanks.
Shaun, sorry to hear about the hassles. No matter what product you put on that slab, water will ALWAYS find a way in. You may be making it less hydroscopic and thereby slowing the absorption, but you can stop a leak with sealer, paint, tar etc. The only way is to manage the water that’s around the house. You mention “every time it rained for months after the water would seep back in.” This is a CLASSIC symptom of a problem with roof and surface drainage and definately, positively and in no way a rising water table. Water tables dont move up and down with each storm, they move seasonally. You need to do everything possible to move the water that comes off the roof and that which settles around the foundation due to poor grading away from the house. This is the only long term solution. Keep an eye on this post — I’m about to make a major addition with more detail in the next couple of weeks.
We get a lot of winter floods here in NM. Learning to waterproof your basement is crucial and I’m definitely willing to give your tips a go and see how they work. Thanks for sharing.
Yes, very likely the underground drain is broken. The cause is always the same, rainwater and the solution is to manage that!
How do you know you have a drainage pipe leak it’s been two weeks since the rain stop and I still have water still coming from the crack in the basement it’s like drip drop very little
I have a 4 unit building, each unit has a basement. only one unit has a sump pump. it never runs, however the unit next to it always takes water along one exterior wall. drainage and downspouts are all sloped 10′ away from building. Time to call professional? Could drainage tile be broke or need cleaning?
My basement floor is dirt and cannot seem to get it dry.
Hi, I have exactly the 'not-to-do' concrete pathway built 3ft away from the house. the soil between the pathway and the house is about 5" lower than the pathway, creating a 'swimmingpool' around the house! so yes, it's definitely not good! but i don't know how to fix the problem because:
1) the pathway actually isn't leveled, it looks like it's sloping towards the house.
2) the pathway is quite high, it almost levels with the bottom siding of the house, so even if I fill dirt up between the pathway and the house, the dirt cannot be graded much away from the house, it will most likely 'level' with the pathway.
I'm totally stuck, am I suppose to deolish the pathway completely? or should I put more concrete to extend the pathway to the wall of the house?
Very Knowledgeable and a good advice in preventing water damage in the basement. thanks
My cellar is very old and is not under my house. It is not a basement. I have poured concrete around it to keep the water away but it still leaks up the wall about a foot and through a couple of cracks on the floor and on the bottom 3 or 4 steps . This yr we had lots of rain. On the outside it is surrounded by concrete at least 8 ft. and more in other places. I am wondering about the grading. I need to do some around my house but I wondering if it will help with the water table. I have fought this for 20 years. I have tried to waterproof it on the inside but that doesn't work. Everybody wants to put a drain in it but I'm not fond of that ideal. Or they want to put the drain against the wall that funnels it to a sump pump. It just seems like there should be another way. Any suggestions would be appreciated? Thanks Rita
We had leakage in 2 of the walls of our basement. The first line of defense as usual was to call the waterproofing companies – EverDry and Aquaguard. Both gave me estimates in the thousands with work consisting of sealing the walls and digging the concrete basement floor and installing pumps. I then happened to read this article (Thanks Tom) which was really useful. During the next rain, I observed there were several holes in the flexible downspout extensions which created puddles in exactly the 2 places where the basement walls were leaking. In one place, the gutters were leaking too. So, we replaced the 5″ gutters with 6″ gutters and put in new downspouts and extensions. The leaking problem never came back.
@kamal Great to hear about your success story. We just bought our place a few months ago and heard that the previous owners had problems via the neighbors. We plan on replacing the roof and now I feel like I can solve any potential problems myself.
Tom, this is just the information I was looking for about waterproofing. My husband and I have been thinking of waterproofing our basement. These tips are just what we need to get started! I will have to show this to my husband. Emily Smith
My basement constantly has issues flooding. There are stairs leading down to the basement door, and water really seems to collect around the door. I wonder if there is a way I could use gutters in order to re-route the water a different direction.
These methods to help waterproof a basement are so simple, I can see why some people would be skeptical. Sump pumps are great tools, but they shouldn't be the first line of defense when it comes to waterproofing. Like the article says, keeping gutters running freely and sloping the soil away from the home, it keeps water from being in a place where it can enter the home, thus keeping it dry.
Oh so that's how someone would water proof their basement. Would this be something that a water proofing contractor would recommend doing? As a first time home buyer learning about water proofing certain areas of my house has been somewhat new for me.
I have discovered a hole in my basement floor. I’m concerned it could be foundation or a broken clay drain. Would you call a plumber or waterproofing expert? Or both? It’s a hole about the size of half dollar. It’s located a foot away from the wall and about 6″ away from an old toilet drain that has been plugged for years. The house was built in 1920 and has a damp but not wet basement. When I look into the hole I see loose concrete sand and a gap from the floor. I just don’t know where to start. Thanks.
Over 35 years in this business, my experiences have been ‘most’ waterproofing companies are incompetent and pretty often fraudulent. Most of those are the interior drainage system companies.
The interior system companies almost always do not honestly and competently ‘identify’ aka, find, determine the homeowners actual-problem(s) or don’t care to. All they are interested in is saying whatever they need to, to homeowners, in order to sell the one thing they do.
Many homeowners only have 1 or 2 areas in basement where they leak, seep, get water in on floor…usually along the bottom of wall/floor aka, the cold joint, cove.
And most often, the reason(s) they get water in there is due to cracks in the basement wall, exterior cracks or exterior cracks in the parging or no parging was ever applied to exterior of some block, brick walls. And rod holes in poured walls are often the problem, reason, not the grade, this is a myth.
Other reasons for wet, leaky basements include one or more exterior openings, gaps above grade such as open, cracked mortar joints, openings around basement windows, doors etc. And some homeowners get water in, on basement floor due to a possible blockage in lateral line, clean out or the city has problem on their-end. Sometimes the drain tile that leads to/from sump pit needs to be snaked etc.
Way too many people offer advice, supposed-fixes, and they are not experts on the subject.I don’t ever offer any supposed advice/supposed remedies on anything else because, lol, I’m not an expert on anything else! Not hvac, not electrical etc yet, again, many offer supposed solutions on this-subject and they are not experts on this subject, got it? lol
Why ‘go there’? Being a good, honest home inspector or builder or landscaper etc does not at all make anyone an expert on this subject, sheesh
I have go on record here and state that while I realize there are some predators out there, just because waterproofing jobs are expensive doesn’t mean they’re a rip off. Yes, revising the exterior drainage of the home may prevent further damage from being done, however it does nothing to address the damage that’s already been done to the foundation or the soil around it. Better advice would be to seek out a contractor that is certified and follows a specific code of conduct. To say that we’re all crooks is inaccurate and very misleading.
Is a waterproofing job really the same as foundation repair, though? I’m also curious what you mean by “damage to the soil.” I also cannot find anything in this article about how “all” basement waterproofing companies being crooks. This comment does not accurately reflect the content of the article and therefore comes across and very defensive. I would remove it to protect your company’s reputation. I’m sure you do fine work and this comment does not do the industry any favors.
Well put Haddy. One thing that warms my heart reading all of these comments is to see so many waterproofers (including those seem to be trying to falsely appear like just a concerned consumer) try to defend the need for their ridiculously expensive “solutions”, while countless others have found this simple approach we advocate to work just fine. Their defensive posture speaks volumes.
Have seen many homeowners (have photos) who already tried raising and sloping their grade, still leaked and called me.
Some of those were builders own homes and some dug down about 2′ along wall where they leaked and poured concrete along, against basement wall and then raised and sloped the grade above the concrete, still leaked Tom!
Others have down down 1-2′ (where they were leaking) and then layed shingles all along, against the basement wall and then raised and sloped the grade, still leaked Tom.
And still other homeowners dug down 1-2′ and placed several tarps along, against basement wall, where they were leaking AND raised and sloped the grade, still leaked.
Say again, other than basement back ups (most often a city problem or lateral line),most homeowners get water in basements because they have 1 or more cracks in basement wall or, 1+ open, leaky rod holes.
Tom, cracks are existing defects. Would you recommend selling a house that has 1+ cracks in foundation wall that have allowed water in basement and that haven’t been waterproofed?
When there are open mortar joints or cracked joints, bricks above grade…they need to be tuckpointed, sealed right? Because if they’re left open they will allow water into home,possibly cause mold, allow easy access for termires etc. You wouldn’t tell homeowners to leave them open, would you? lolol
If water is entering someones home through, around windows or doors, would you leave these open, not caulk etc them?
Well, same applies to basement walls that have a crack or leaky rod hole man.
And toying with the grade or gutters has not ‘identified’ the actual existing problem, defect and of course does not fix, repair, waterproof, tuckpoint whatever the real-problem turns out to be.
One needs to fisrt, FIND aka identify the actual problem so that they can then, fix it correctly!
Your assumption that 99% of wet, leaky basements can be cured by playing with the grade is absolutely incorrect sir. And in order to help more homeowners and give them the facts then sometimes we need to change our tune, admit we made a mistake.
Tom,
All due respect man but,, you are wrong sir.
If you really want to help most homeowners on this-subject you’ll listen and want to understand more, I’ve tried sending you photos etc but maybe your too busy or just assume you know all on this subject.
There’s no way on this-planet that 99% of homeowners, as you say, can solve their leaky, wet basements by toying with the grade, nope.
I’ll agree with you that many more companies in this business than not are either incompetent, fraudulent, misleading, deceptive and so on and those are just about all ‘interior system companies’. Yes, those inside basement drainage companies misrepresent this subject in a big way.
Ok so let’s say a homeowner has a leaky basement, its finished/drywall and they get water along the wall-floor aka cove in 1 or 2 places. Some homeowners simply are getting water in due to 1+ leaky, open rod holes.
Other homeowners egt water along same area, cove, due to a clog in their lateral line, they simply need it snaked by an honest plumber.
Other homeowners get water in, that can run down poured wall behind drywall….through 1 or more exterior openings around,above,in a basement window or around door, or 1+ open mortar joints or where a service line enters a house above grade.
So telling these homeowners to play with the grade doesn’t, hasn’t correctly identified their problem and won’t fix it, they’ll still leak Tom because, as I said, if their problem (where water is entering) is openings around, in basement window or open mortar joints then raising and sloping the grade cannot tuckpoint the open mortar joints, doesn’t replace that leaky basement window!
Same goes for cracks say, on the outside of blck basement walls, Have many photos to show you exactly what I mean in order to, help homeowners!
This is an excellent article with a lot of really good points and suggestions. However, I think it’s important to note that it is okay to consult with a basement waterproofing expert should the need arise.
But make sure to check your drainage first; since your waterproofing issue could be a simple fix!
If your basement commonly experiences flooding or puddles, or you notice cracks in the wall or floor; it’s probably time to consult with a professional.
Everyone is an “expert,” so make sure to do a little bit of homework before accepting a quote or estimate.
Check licenses and reviews on the BBB or Home Adviser. A reputable waterproofing contractor will also be more than happy to provide you with these things in addition to the phone numbers of past clients. After all, waterproofing your home is a big deal. You want to make sure it’s done correctly. And a good company will understand.
Also make sure to get several estimates. And don’t be fooled into the lowest priced option. Cheaper isn’t always better. Make sure that the company has been around for awhile, is licensed and insured, and offers you warranties for the installed waterproofing solutions.
This article makes some very good points. As one of the largest basement waterproofing companies in the country, I don't necessarily agree that 99% of all wet basements can be cured by following your tips. But, we are all for proactive homeowner maintenance and water management. I'd also argue that most basement waterproofers are ripoff artists. There's definitely a fair share of them, but many good ones too.
Tom, thanks for commenting. Grading the yard with proper soil and extending my downspouts would not of fixed my problem. I agree that it is a good first fix. But there are water issues other then surface water. I understand that by digging around my foundation, I disturbed compacted soil, creating no resistance for the water so it fills my hole very easily. But the fact is that I have no rainfall whatsoever getting in my hole. My land is graded very well now, due to the huge mounds of soil from my hole. Plastic covering my entire hole. All downspouts extend pretty far. So where is the water coming from? So you said it yourself. Higher elevation water flowing to lower elevation. I do not know exact terms of hydrogeology(just looked that word up). I just know that I have a underground water problem. At high rains my water rises from the ground. I can visually see this. Water forces its way to the top from the bottom of my hole. It creates little rivets in the water. All the other websites talk about rising water tables also. Not just websites that are trying to get your money. Your website was the only one that stated water tables rising as a myth. That is my only issue. Water tables rising are a concern. People do build below them. I would still have a water table issue even if I never dug around my foundation. It just would of took a bit longer due to my compacted dirt around my foundation.
Dalton, I hear and appreciate your frustration with this issue. However, what you describe is not evidence of a rising water table. Rather, water flows from a higher elevations to a lower elevation. When you dug out the foundation, you inadvertently created a “perfect storm” that no doubt worsened this problem. Disturbing very compacted soil by digging it out, even if the goal was to seal a wall was really not necessary. While I’m glad you seem to be at the ends of this process, I’d respectfully suggest you would have been just as successful by properly regrading your foundation and extending downspouts (assuming you have a correctly designed roof gutter system) away from the foundation by whatever means necessitated by your site elevations.
Few people that commented actually know all this is bogus. I can not believe that you are a home inspector for 20 years and can make statements like these. I am not a contractor or home inspector. Just a do it yourself type of guy that took on the project of waterproofing my triplex. I had water in the basement. So the first thing I figured was, like tom was talking about, bad graded land(which there was) and gutters were not draining far enough from house. But before I handled that I excavated around my entire house(5 feet down with a shovel) to repair cracks, apply a water membrane, protection board, and drainage pipe by footer. I did all that and before I was going to put in my drainage pipe it rained pretty steady for 2-3 days. I woke up with a moat around my house. My wife woke me up with, "baby there is water in your hole". That is a ongoing joke with us now.lol. I knew it was not my gutters or slope because I had plastic all around my house. Like a plastic skirt around my house that was attached to my sill plate to the top of my huge mound of dirt. So it wasn't rain water getting in. I removed my sump pump from the basement and put it outside to pump out my moat. When the sump pump finally removed most of the water there was a steady stream of water(like a river) still trying to fill my hole. This is when I realized that my water table rises after about 2-3 days of heavy rain. After rain it takes about a day or two for the water table to go back to normal. About 12 inches below my footer is the normal water table. This happened a few times because I had to come up with a new game plan. So my point is that Tom is a idiot and I wish I could slap this guy. I don't want to punch him. Just give a a slap of shame for making such idiotic comments about water tables. Let a very dedicated diy'er explain something to you. You must not live in a area that gets rain. Here is how someone builds on a water table. You can build a house in the summer and not know the water table rises during rainy seasons. Your brother probably built my basement with your advice.lol. If two days is a slow rising water table then you are correct. That is not slow to me. MOST leaking basement,if properly done, are very expensive to fix unless you have problems like the gutter or slope. I did all the work my self and still ended up paying a big chunk of change for the materials. I have yet to figure my RISING WATER TABLE out yet. Because if I put drainage pipe next to the footer and drain the pipe to a sump pump. I am going to need a very high output sump pump. And if I drain in to the back yard then the water table will just rise to the point of nothing draining. So my solution was to get a very high output sump pump. Next I am going to make a internal drain system under my slab with drainage pipe that also leads to my sump pump. But I am still worried because I learned that a water table is very hard to pump out at the rate it is filling back in. So I am going to grade the basement floor to my sump pump in case water gets in. I am going to build my sub floor above my basement floor so nothing gets wet. If I have a leak(which eventually I will) it will slope to the sump pump. I have yet to do this because I am making sure I do it right. So if anybody has any advice please inform. Please don't give advice if you agree with Tom.
I don’t know how old this post is but I agree with you! I am sitting here in a now 100 yr old home that I lived in for 14 yrs. It had an interior perimeter drain system put in when I purchased it. the basement is rather large , has two additions along two walls and a gravity fed drain to the street with a back up sump that never had to go on. I first discovered notable water on the actual floor after 13 1/2 yes living here. It is increasing as we speak and I have not slept in days due to three -3 inch or more rains and a snowfall in the past three months causing water to seep. It actually “boils” in a clip of vacuuming 30 gallons in a just a three hr period. This is in the middle sections of the concrete floor that has only sectional cracks and is completely in tack. This the water table for sure!!!! If you were to dig out this foundation today on this property to build it would in fact fill up for sure like a swimming pool. The installed drain system is for wall water and all my surrounding ground is sloped, extending gutter drains are in place, no clogs, even landscape rocks. There is no sign of wall seepage and the drain system is currently carrying water out. This center floor water is not accessing the drain system and it has no exit but up !
Hi Nadine, I can see why you may think a water table is the cause of your water leaking up through the center of the basement floor, but as one who has successfully diagnosed the cause of thousands of leaking basements, I can assure you it most definitely is not. Water that accumulates around the foundation perimeter will seek the path of least resistance into a home. For example, I have seen leaks similar to what you’ve described causes by a single clogged spout (tennis ball found its way there). The spout was 30 feet from the area of the leaking floor but removing that single ball solved the issue. Also, water tables move slowly and seasonally. They do not rise and fall with every heavy rain or snow melt. Your cause is in the exterior drainage. It may not be obvious, but it’s there. If you’d like to send photos of the home exterior (all sides, taken both up close and from a distance) I’d be happy to review for any potential causes. Send those to show(at)moneypit.com.
Your timber flooring is also at risk if there is water leaks throughout the home. I would never waste time with friends advice, no matter how meaningful or experienced. Ensure you have a complete inspection and act promptly.
You know one way you can waterproof your basement? Have a backup plan! We can plan all we want for a disaster and put in extra basement protection, but you know that one day, your basement is going to flood. I recommend people get shurflo pumps and that way they'll know how to avoid a knee-deep mess!
Taking care of your house is one of the most important things you do. A crack in the basement foundation can lead to bigger and bigger problems. I know people who have tried to do basement waterproofing themselves and it has been a nightmare. If the crack isn't sealed correctly, then you have to grind off whatever you put on to seal it and start over. I personally recommend that you hire a professional. It's your house, it's worth a few dollars more to be sure it lasts.
SO many people get so agitated and paranoid from watching home remodeling shows like Holmes on Homes. Of course a lot of what he says is true, and I don’t doubt his approach a a contractor, but let’s face it, a lot of the time he does unnecessary work for the drama of television. In almost every case of a leaky basement they are digging up the dirt from around the foundation and drilling down into the cement to fix a plumbing issue and then doing their fix. It is in many cases too much! I do agree with the fact that if home inspectors did a better job during pre-build then a lot of these headaches would not be an issue.
No, Basement waterproofing is not that expensive, but yes to do it the right way, you should dig it out and apply a waterproofing cement product to the exterior of the basement wall. Then you backfill in 2' lifts, compact thoroughly as you come up with a jumpin jack compactor. When you get about 2' below finished grade you layer road subgrade material or Type II, sand & 3/4" rock mix. Compact this layer well, as before, then your native soil. I have installed "french drains" around the perimeter as well to be on the safe side, which daylight out away from the basement. Yes every basement condition is different and not all basements need this application but to do it right, you should apply a waterproof product to exterior of the basement wall.
The rear of my kitchen is a stone wall adjacent to a slate patio. The slate sits on sand. The floor of the kitchen is lower than the level of the slate. When there is an extraordinary rainfall (more than two inches), water seeps through the stone wall. This happens less than once a year but when it happens, it is a mess to clean up and the water seeps into the basement, making matters worse. Your description of the problem is accurate in terms of water moving towards the house. I can’t prevent this given the landscape and the position of the house. Would a slotted pipe or “french drain” outside the house make sense? I could put it under the slate and direct it to drain away from the house. How would I find a reliable contractor to do this?
I used to go scrambling for the stand pipes whenever we had a hard rain but I found these floating stoppers (only $15 each) that you easily install in the tile directly under the floor drain. When the water comes up the stopper rises and cuts off the water flow into the basement, the rest of the house’s plumbing acts as the stand pipe to relieve pressure. They work even if I’m not home, best $30 I ever spent.
To Tom Edwards: Despite the authoritative tone of your comments, you are dead wrong. I have 34 years and more than 18,000 full fee-paid home inspections to tell you that, while you obviously are not in doubt, you are certainly in error, and completely in error. If I were wrong on this subject, I would have long since been sued into oblivion. You simply do not understand this subject.
If you expect to prevent ground water intrusion into a leaking basement by only regrading the soil and draining guttering away you will probably be mistaken. I have over 20 years experience as a licensed general contractor, former building code inspector and as a licensed home inspector with over 15,000 inspected properties. Expecting to correct a leaking basement with these relatively inexpensive corrections is like stopping a boat from leaking by repainting everything from the gunwales up, or above the water line. Regrading and guttering correction will help but will not absolutely solve the problem of basement leakage.
If the walls are leaking it is because of a breech in the water proofing barrier on the exterior of the foundation. It’s that simple. Water proofing contractors prefer to cut the floor slab and install drainage on the inside simply because it is typically easier than disturbing plantings and attachments on the exterior wall. The water proofing contractor will provide for a positive outlet for water entering the breached foundation wall so that there is no build up and any moisture entering the foundation wall has a clear and free outlet to a discharge basin or outside the dwelling. Don’t paint all water proofing companies with the same broad brush. There are real professionals doing this work.
It’s always annoying to hear a real estate agent tell a potential buyer that guttering repairs and regrading will “fix” the leaking basement. If they truly believed that they should offer their own personal performance warranty to the buyer for assurance. They won’t do that and that says it all.
Not sure how you can apply your solution to everyone’s problem when every situation is unique. In fact, your reply would be better written if you added “for me” after every sentence. Starting with the simplest and most cost effective solution and working up from there is sound advice. Why jump to the most expensive option first? If you end up hiring a waterproofing contractor, so be it. But if your car doesn’t start in the morning, start with the battery, not the engine.
My basement wall is made of cinder blocks and water was seeping through the walls. Since listening to the money pit. I have cleaned my gutters, repaired any leaks in them and and built my soil up so that it was sloping more away from my house. I can honestly say it’s been 2 weeks and my walls are currently not seeping and it has been raining. Great tips!
My neibor “land little be above mine, & now we have slope toward house & wet basement every time when we have heavy rain. I coudn’t do anything myself, because a lot of roots there, do you know that what type of company can help me, and should i go to City Building, or some other department for help? I now that my english it’s not good, and question not smart, but i need to solve this problem
during a recent storm my roof was damaged by high winds. Shingles were ripped up and i noticed alot of water in my basement. The rest of my house is dry but basement walls damp and floor soaked. Does anyone know if its possible for water to trickle down house not wety first or second floor but soak my basement?
I have a minor leak at the base of my basement wall. This wall has a lot of soil from a hillside resting against it. I am starting to get staircase cracks along the joints as well. the cracks are not very large. I have heard drylock can take care of this but I want to be sure this is not a quick fix. What else can I try before this situation worsens. I do not have a sump pump or french drains. Also, I moved into this house about 6 months ago. I have a deck on the backside of the house on the outside of the leaky basement wall, so I cannot alleviate the sloping problem unless I demolish this deck. Please advise. Thank you.
Tom,I agree with your answer,proper grading and eaves troughs and down spouts,solve most problems.
Most home owners are not aware that the earth around the foundations ,settles slowly over time,and after a while water runs towards the house not away from the foundations,
Also the home owner needs to keep the debris out of the window wells and ensure down spout extensions are at least 4 to 6 feet long and to be sure to replace the extensions after cutting the grass
As you started,why not try the easy way first
Harry
I have sump pumps, one of which runs constantly. I water table is so high the pump runs 3-4 times per minute. What can be done to redirect the water so that the pumps are not running all the time?
Multiple pumps, battery back ups and now I have to get a generator to make myself sleep at night> Any suggestions?
OK, since the weather is supposed to be nice this weekend we’re going to give it go with the gutter and grading improvements, however, I have a question, my house sits almost on top of a hill, Almost being the opportune word there. The back of the house is what seems to catch the water off the hill, since the house sits on a downward slope how can I grade the back yard to minimize the water pooling at the back of the house?
I spent 20 years diagnosing basement water problems as a professional home inspector and the regrading and gutter improvement approach works in all cases, except when a high water table is present, which is actually far more rare than most people believe. In any event, there very little risk in trying out gutter and grading improvements and a ton of risk that you’ll waste money hiring a water proofing contractor. So, what have you got to lose by trying the easy way first?
Even though I want to believe this, I know from years of experience that this is unreal. If I have learned anything it is that you can not waterproof a basement from the outside of the home. No matter how much you regrade, or how great your gutters are, the final outcome in a heavy down pour is a wet basement.
I had it up to my ears, litterally and decided to hire a waterproofing contractor. Not every contractor is the same and yes it can cost a lot to fix the basement but given the right contractor you can fix the problem indefinately not just put a band aid on it like specified in this column. I spent many a year trying everything and nothing worked except having my floor jacked up and a waterproofing put in.