Water in vents and closet floor


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Old 04-09-08, 07:11 PM
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Water in vents and closet floor

I've got a single story house built in the mid '50s that accumulates water in the floor vents when it rains hard. In addition, there is a closet floor and lower walls that get wet. I don't see signs of roof leakage, so I'm assuming the water is either not draining away from the house, or the water level rises when it rains hard.

What are some of my options and what should I be looking for as the cause of the problem? Are there waterproof sealants that can be used to coat the concrete floor of the closet that will help with water infiltrating that space?

I'll check the slope from the house to see if it's adequate and I'm considering installing either a french drain or a swale. Unfortunately the house is a rental 1500 miles away so I haven't had the chance to see what is actually happening when it storms.
 
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Old 04-10-08, 03:12 AM
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Good morning and welcome to the DIY Forums,

I think my first question is: How long has this been happening? Are the gutters clear? Do the downspouts extend 10 feet from the building and do they run freely?

I don't think waterproofing the closet floor is going to be a solution.

Since the house is nearly 50 years old, many things may have changed since the original construction. The land may have settled and lost slope, the drain tile around the perimeter-( if in fact, there ever was any drain tile around the perimeter) may have collapsed, plants and trees around the house may have produced roots that are breaching the foundation.

Your distance from the rental is, of course, the big problem. You need someone trustworthy who can determine the problem by on site inspection and then effect repair.

If the problem has been ongoing, you'll also need a mold evaluation before renting this property again.

Connie
 
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Old 04-15-08, 04:12 PM
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Thanks for the reply Connie.

After giving the property some more thought, I remembered that the gutters didn't cover all of the perimeter of the roof. I'll bet inadequate roof drainage is the majority of the issue. I'll be able to further diagnose the issue when I see the property in 3 weeks. I'll only have 2 days to resolve any issues, so it might be best if I talk with gutter installers in the area before hand.
 
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Old 04-16-08, 02:47 AM
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Indeed, gutters will be the first suspect. Since you're going to be on such limited time, you may also need to arrange someone to trim back trees if they overhang the roof. Leaves and seed debris (and those stupid helicopters if you have maples!) can clog the gutters. If not cleared regularly, you may wind up with little seedlings.

Good luck to you,

Connie
 
 

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