Hello DIY gurus. I am a first-time homeowner with a problem with my unfinished basement. There is a settlement crack about ten feet long in my basement floor that for reasons unknown to me, a small quantity (eight to ten ounces) of stinky water seeps up through. It does not seem connected to rain or lawn irrigation, it happens with no pattern to associate with. When I say stinky, I mean like sour or stagnant water, not like sewer water. The house is 1970-vintage, the basement walls are concrete block, and do not exhibit any moisture problems. Can this crack be filled or repaired? I would like to know what my options are, any advice is appreciated.

Regards,
Tony

 

Tony: I do not want to alarm you, but now is not the time to seal the crack. I would call in a contractor or building inspector right away. That water is coming from somewhere, the smell tells me, it is not good. You need professional advice about the water, before you can even think of sealing the crack. As a building inspector, and a contractor myself, I can assure you you need to find the source of water, figure how to get rid of it, and then seal the crack. Good Luck

 

quote:<HR>Originally posted by Jack the Contractor:
Tony: I do not want to alarm you, but now is not the time to seal the crack. I would call in a contractor or building inspector right away. That water is coming from somewhere, the smell tells me, it is not good. You need professional advice about the water, before you can even think of sealing the crack. As a building inspector, and a contractor myself, I can assure you you need to find the source of water, figure how to get rid of it, and then seal the crack. Good Luck<HR>

Thank you Jack, for your timely reply. To make a long story short, when I bought the house the sellers had thrown down carpet and a couch over it (the cracked area),they had to have been well aware of the problem, I know it didn't just happen when I moved in. The problem seems to not occur during the winter months, when the ground is frozen. Bought the house in December '99. The house inspector completely missed this one, and I started to notice the problem last spring when the ground thawed. Groundwater, maybe? If that were the case, would a general contractor be able to remedy a problem like that, or would they come in at the concrete level? I am a little lost here.

Thanks again.

 

The sellers put carpet over the area and placed a couch there? This has "LAWSUIT" written all over it! Do the terms "FRAUD" and/or "DISCLOSURE" ring a bell?

 

I would either call a contractor or your local building dept. If you call the building dept., request for a home inspector to come out and look at your problem. If it is underground water, you have to get rid of it. You may have to put in a sump pump. that may end up being the simple solution.