Wet wood room


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Old 07-13-15, 12:04 PM
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Wet wood room

I have a "wood room" off the side of my house. It's 2/3rds underground and the rest above ground. Most of it is concrete with the side attached to the house the exception. The top/bottom is a big slab whereas the sides are block. I have issues with it getting wet in there. There is normally a seep in the far left corner that just is a bit damp. When it rains the roof leaks. There is an opening that has a plywood insert for winter and I made a screen for summer. That helps with humidity down there. Now what can I do with this thing? Does the fact that it's unheat change things? I also don't see any obvious cracks in the roof. There was one small one that seems to have been repaired.

I have tried researching a solution but I seem to have a unique situation. I couldn't find a similar situation where somebody had an unheated concrete structure off their house. So any thoughts?
 
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Old 07-13-15, 12:57 PM
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Welcome to the forums.

My first thought is to find and fix the leaks.
 
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Old 07-13-15, 01:08 PM
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Not sure if I understand, is it a roof leak or is it coming thru the foundation wall?
 
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Old 07-13-15, 01:36 PM
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It's both really. Most of the time it's a mild seep through the wall but when it rains it makes its way through the concrete slab roof. Unsure where it comes in through the roof. The spot where it connects to the siding seems well caulked. From the inside the ceiling is lined in hard foam insulation. Maybe that needs to come off to tell.

Then the every day wet comes from a seep in the corner of the cellar.

Edit-Maybe I should start with the question of is there a solution that will fix both? Again it's a wood cellar that comes off the side of my house. I don't need it to be perfect. I just don't want standing water. I don't think the floor is graded. So I'm not sure if there's an easy way to just put in a drain or if I should concentrate my efforts on exterior work?
 
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Old 07-13-15, 01:48 PM
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The fix is almost always on the outside. The danger with leaving it be is moisture behind the wood often leads to mold.
 
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Old 07-13-15, 01:49 PM
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Not much you can do beyond using a large dehumidifier. That cost plus the electrical cost has to be weighed against the utility of that space.

Your basic problem, beside the obvious leaks, is moisture passing right through the concrete. Add to that the cool walls and floor will draw moisture out of the air.

Bud
 
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Old 07-13-15, 02:39 PM
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I don't cool the space and keep the "window" open. So it stays warm in the space. Is there something to put on top of the slab or some way to seal the top of the slab? I'd say that the seep is manageable but when it rains heavily the water in the cellar gets to be a bit much. Also is that a no way with the drain?
 
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Old 07-13-15, 07:23 PM
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Also is that a no way with the drain?
Putting a drain in is like closing the barn door after the horses escaped.

You need to work on keeping the water out.
 
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Old 08-06-15, 01:13 PM
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Ok so it's one thing to just say fix the outside but any specific ideas?

On top...is there a sealer I can use? Or do I put some sort of roof on top? Remember it's a concrete slab on top.

Would gutters help? I wonder how much water in the corner comes from runoff. Can I attach gutters to concrete?

Then there's the obvious try to slope the landscaping better.

Anything else?
 
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Old 08-06-15, 01:19 PM
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The general process with a house is gutters, downspout extensions and grading. If below ground at all, a waterproofing membrane and maybe a drainage system at the footer.

I don't know what to tell you about the roof and walls other than you need to find and fix any leaks and preferably do so on the outside.
 
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Old 08-06-15, 04:10 PM
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I wrote an article a few months back that may help you understand what marksr is suggesting. PJMAX is also valid when he mentions that a drain is not a solution to the infiltration problem.....

Best of luck!
 

Last edited by Shadeladie; 08-06-15 at 04:55 PM. Reason: Blogs not allowed nor are links to personal websites
 

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