Question about exterior waterproofing my basement.
#1
03-14-11, 02:48 PM
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: USA
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Question about exterior waterproofing my basement.
Hola all, new the forums, but not new to DIY... My father hangs out here a lot.
My basement leaks in a couple of spots, but generally only in really rainy situations... I've got the gutters all running 3-5 feet away from the house, but in heavy rains I get some seapage in a couple of corners...
I'm to the point where it annoys me enough to do something about it... I was thinking about:
1) Renting a backhoe or bobcat excavator and digging out/down around the foundation..
2) cleaning/sealing the concrete block walls with Ames' Blue Max Liquid Rubber or something else(any recommendations?)
3) draping a 45 to 60 mil rubber lining down the foundation walls extending out about a foot or so from the bottom of the foundation
4) putting in pea gravel around and over top of 4-6" corrugated drainage line, and over the lining.
5) Backfilling in the dirt and being done with it....
Overkill?!? Should I do additional steps, or can I drop some of this? I've been doing research, but I'm sure my father would say I am overthinking it.. so give me any advice please!
I was kind of thinking about using pond liner since it seems to be the same stuff the basement people are selling for twice the price... Plus Home depot sells pond liner relatively cheap, by the linear foot and 10' wide.
The Ames Blue Max stuff is sold at local Ace hardware, but anything anyone else would recommend would be of interest as well!
Local rental place has two types of excavators:
HOOSIER TOOL RENTAL
or
HOOSIER TOOL RENTAL
Which one would be preferred? Or my father thinks you all might know a cheaper solution... My concern is that I need to move along the side of the house, and the backhoe requires me to outstretch the feet so might not be as good of a choice.
I live in Indiana, and our soils is predominately clay. My home is a ranch style with a walk out basement, and the yard tapers from the bottom of the ranch level to the bottom of the basement level along the side of my home... The leaking areas are the two big corners near the front of the house(one of those areas is connected to my garage)... My house is a big L-Shape with the base of the L being the garage.
Appreciate any and all advice!
My basement leaks in a couple of spots, but generally only in really rainy situations... I've got the gutters all running 3-5 feet away from the house, but in heavy rains I get some seapage in a couple of corners...
I'm to the point where it annoys me enough to do something about it... I was thinking about:
1) Renting a backhoe or bobcat excavator and digging out/down around the foundation..
2) cleaning/sealing the concrete block walls with Ames' Blue Max Liquid Rubber or something else(any recommendations?)
3) draping a 45 to 60 mil rubber lining down the foundation walls extending out about a foot or so from the bottom of the foundation
4) putting in pea gravel around and over top of 4-6" corrugated drainage line, and over the lining.
5) Backfilling in the dirt and being done with it....
Overkill?!? Should I do additional steps, or can I drop some of this? I've been doing research, but I'm sure my father would say I am overthinking it.. so give me any advice please!
I was kind of thinking about using pond liner since it seems to be the same stuff the basement people are selling for twice the price... Plus Home depot sells pond liner relatively cheap, by the linear foot and 10' wide.
The Ames Blue Max stuff is sold at local Ace hardware, but anything anyone else would recommend would be of interest as well!
Local rental place has two types of excavators:
HOOSIER TOOL RENTAL
or
HOOSIER TOOL RENTAL
Which one would be preferred? Or my father thinks you all might know a cheaper solution... My concern is that I need to move along the side of the house, and the backhoe requires me to outstretch the feet so might not be as good of a choice.
I live in Indiana, and our soils is predominately clay. My home is a ranch style with a walk out basement, and the yard tapers from the bottom of the ranch level to the bottom of the basement level along the side of my home... The leaking areas are the two big corners near the front of the house(one of those areas is connected to my garage)... My house is a big L-Shape with the base of the L being the garage.
Appreciate any and all advice!
#2
03-17-11, 04:34 PM
You are on the right track. Dig a few inches past the footing. Dry the wall with a torch. There is a membrane that comes on a roll. Cover the foundation with it. Throw some gravel in the bottom of the hole & back fill. That should seal it.
#4
03-31-11, 11:21 AM
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 2
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I spoke with a foundation guy yesterday, and he stated my idea would be a bad one... it might last 5 years, but it would cause me foundation issues going forward. He said that if we backfilled in with dirt that as the dirt settled, it would not have room to settle against the virgin untouched dirt, and that the pressure(of it settling) would go against the foundation itself and cause the basement walls to be pushed in.
He mentioned something about backfilling with sand would alleviate most of the pressure issues, but he didn't go into detail...
His first step idea was to do the drain on the inside of the house around where the walls meet the floor. He didn't give me a quote, we were just talking as I had him out giving me a quote on foundation repair for a rental home of mine.
No real good answers here...
He mentioned something about backfilling with sand would alleviate most of the pressure issues, but he didn't go into detail...
His first step idea was to do the drain on the inside of the house around where the walls meet the floor. He didn't give me a quote, we were just talking as I had him out giving me a quote on foundation repair for a rental home of mine.
No real good answers here...
#5
06-01-11, 07:37 PM
Originally Posted by GrouchieGrumble
I spoke with a foundation guy yesterday, and he stated my idea would be a bad one... it might last 5 years, but it would cause me foundation issues going forward. He said that if we backfilled in with dirt that as the dirt settled, it would not have room to settle against the virgin untouched dirt, and that the pressure(of it settling) would go against the foundation itself and cause the basement walls to be pushed in.
He mentioned something about backfilling with sand would alleviate most of the pressure issues, but he didn't go into detail...
His first step idea was to do the drain on the inside of the house around where the walls meet the floor. He didn't give me a quote, we were just talking as I had him out giving me a quote on foundation repair for a rental home of mine.
No real good answers here...
He mentioned something about backfilling with sand would alleviate most of the pressure issues, but he didn't go into detail...
His first step idea was to do the drain on the inside of the house around where the walls meet the floor. He didn't give me a quote, we were just talking as I had him out giving me a quote on foundation repair for a rental home of mine.
No real good answers here...
#6
06-02-11, 04:38 AM
Inside work is easy, quick, expensive and they are outta here. They haven't stopped your water problem, only redirected it inside your house. I think both of you are on the right track with trying to stop it from the ouside. Once gravel is poured it cannot settle any more, so there will not be any more undue pressure placed on your walls than when it was built.....as Sparky said.
If you note, all the contractors are wanting to put in pumps and trenches in your basement. It is a lot more work to do it right, and they don't want to give you a quote on the outside job because you will faint dead away. They want a job you can swallow and they can make a little off of.
Sparky, I asked some questions on your post, too, so we'll be checking back.
If you note, all the contractors are wanting to put in pumps and trenches in your basement. It is a lot more work to do it right, and they don't want to give you a quote on the outside job because you will faint dead away. They want a job you can swallow and they can make a little off of.
Sparky, I asked some questions on your post, too, so we'll be checking back.
