Unknown water leak
#1
03-03-01, 01:26 AM
Hello!
Each it rains (hard, not a light drizzle), I notice that the wood baseboard trim in our downstairs bedroom is damp and the paint is blistering near base of the wall. The wall where this trim is located is an exterior wall. Also, the adjacent bathroom (which shares this same exterior wall) develops a pool of water after the same heavy rain.
The exterior of the house is stucco (Is stucco porous?) and the previous owner had a cement walkway poured (several years ago) on the same side where the water is seeping in.
I suspect the water is entering in one or more of these ways:
1. The water barrier/tar paper behind the stucco is allowing water to enter, soaking the wood trim and drywall.
2. The cement walkway is higher than the foundation, allowing enough water to flow toward the house, causing the water damage.
3. The point where the stucco wall meets the cement walkway is not sealed/caulked, allowing water that runs down the wall to enter the house rather being diverted away.
Does anyone have any thoughts on this problem and how to fix it without breaking my bank account??
Any responses would be greatly appreciated.
Each it rains (hard, not a light drizzle), I notice that the wood baseboard trim in our downstairs bedroom is damp and the paint is blistering near base of the wall. The wall where this trim is located is an exterior wall. Also, the adjacent bathroom (which shares this same exterior wall) develops a pool of water after the same heavy rain.
The exterior of the house is stucco (Is stucco porous?) and the previous owner had a cement walkway poured (several years ago) on the same side where the water is seeping in.
I suspect the water is entering in one or more of these ways:
1. The water barrier/tar paper behind the stucco is allowing water to enter, soaking the wood trim and drywall.
2. The cement walkway is higher than the foundation, allowing enough water to flow toward the house, causing the water damage.
3. The point where the stucco wall meets the cement walkway is not sealed/caulked, allowing water that runs down the wall to enter the house rather being diverted away.
Does anyone have any thoughts on this problem and how to fix it without breaking my bank account??
Any responses would be greatly appreciated.
#2
03-03-01, 07:55 AM
#2. The walkway is higher than the foundation and is sloped TOWARDS the house? That is the most likely source of your leak. Only cure would be to replace the walkway. Get the new one lower than the foundation (I would guess that you are on a slab) and slope it AWAY from the house.
