Leaking in Bilco door foundation


  #1  
Old 08-05-03, 07:04 AM
toddr
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Leaking in Bilco door foundation

I recently purchased a home with a Bilco door entrance into the basement. After heavy rains, I noticed water had come under the door frame into the basement with carpet (no padding, just layed down). I also noticed moisture on the block foundation walls in the stairwell to the Bilco doors. Is there a good sealent I can use at the base of the door that comes into the basement? The Bilco doors appear to be closed tightly, is there anything that you can recommend I do to prevent the moisture on the block walls? I'm a new home owner, so I really don't know anything yet. Thanks!
 
  #2  
Old 10-29-10, 10:58 AM
M
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Solution to Water Seeping In By Bilco Doors

Every home I've ever owned has had an issue with leaking/moisture by the bilco doors. As homes settle over time, the grounds that were once graded away from the home, tend to flatten, or grade towards the home. This causes a large amount of moisture to collect on the bilco stair foundation and eventually this water starts finding its way through to the steps and onto the basement floor. There are three things one can do to address leaking before replacing the bilco foundation.

1. If possible, increase the grade away from the foundation so that moisture moves in the correct direction, away from the home.

2. Make a drainage area in front of the bilco doors, and run perforated drainage hose to an area of lower grade (works if the yard eventually slopes away from the home)

3. This is the number one solution that has worked for me in all of my homes. Buy a small bag of mortar at Home Depot. Wait for it to rain so that the concrete is very wet (or run the garden hose on the concrete surrounding the bilco doors). Pour a generous (1/2 inch deep) amount of mortar on top of the exposed concrete, and in a 1 inch wide by 2 inch deep trench that you have dug around the outside of the concrete foundation. Lightly water the mortar, using a water bucket that evenly dispurses the water. With a latex glove, work the water into the mortar and water again. The water & mortar mix will eventually flow into the tiny cracks that are causing the leak, and clog them. Moisture on the concrete is usually due to leaking, not due to condensation.

Hope this helps!
 
  #3  
Old 10-29-10, 11:17 AM
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mpaust...Welcome to the Forums and thanks for the reply. Just a note..the original post is over 7 years old.
 
 

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