# leaking basement wall - help



## TazinCR (Jun 23, 2008)

Your first step should to get the water away from the house if you can. Do you have gutters?If you can divert the water this stuff works well but it does smell for a few days. I am sure others will have more ideas. Some pictures will help of the grade.


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## markus (Jan 4, 2009)

lmcd said:


> <snip>
> Or has anyone used hydraulic cement successfully on basement wall cracks that leak?


I've used em on some cracks and generally they work really well. Best solution however is to get outside with a shovel, clean the wall, apply hydraulic cement, then put some of the horrible black goop over it all, and get something like DELTA-MS waterproof membrane and extend it at least a few feet on either side of the crack.


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## lmcd (Jan 5, 2009)

To TazinCR - thanks for your reply. 
Yes, I had gutters installed several years ago. And I had a new cement driveway poured that butts up against the foundation of the house several years ago too. Over the past couple of years the driveway has slightly sank. So this year we installed landscape bricking to the front landscape bed and cemented them in where it meets the driveway. In addition, we installed a drain in the middle of the driveway to divert water away from the front corner and side of the house. Unfortunately, we still have a leak in the basement after all this work. So I am looking into possible ways to stop the leaking. I have no knowledge of the injection kits so I am hoping I can find members who have tried it successfully or what their experience has been using these type of kits.

To Markus - thanks for your reply.
My driveway butts up to the house foundation, so it would be impossible to dig out at this point and follow your suggestions.
We have not had experience with hydraulic cement for stopping leaks on basement walls. So looking for some direction at this point with this frustrating leaking issue. 

We just don't know what would be more effective to fix this issue. Should we get the injection kit, and if so, what is a proven website and product - OR - should we use the hydraulic cement.


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## ponch37300 (Nov 27, 2007)

I have no experience with the injection kit but i have used the hydralic cement with success. You will want to take an angle grinder with a masonry blade on it and grind out the crack and try to create a V so the back of the crack is wider than the part on the surface. This will make a better seal so when water pushes against the hydralic cement it will push it tight against the V and not out of the crack and fail. 

You should really try and find out where all this water is coming from and try to solve that first. On my house i had old clay drain tile that had collapsed and i ended up digging it all out and replacing it. There is a chance that if you fix this crack the water will need somewhere else to go and fins another way into your basement.


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## TazinCR (Jun 23, 2008)

The main problem you face is even if you seal the walls if you can't stop the flow of the water it will come in between the floor and wall or some other place. The whole foundation and floor would have to be sealed just like a swimming pool to keep the water out.
Can you install what I think is called wet wells to catch the water then drain off or pump away. 
I had this same problem in my last house and the only fix was when I got the water diverted. I used UGL DryLoc and it worked for a year then water found its way in at another place.
I built my yard up 6-8" at the foundation and sloped it away from the house and the problem stopped.
Good Luck
Post some pictures.


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## yesitsconcrete (May 11, 2008)

this ' wet bsmt ' thread's been discussed ad nauseum not only in this distinguished forum by the attending sages/wanna-bee's but all over the internet,,, suffice to say, your very fine home's bears a striking resemblance to a ship's hull below waterline,,, you cannot prevent wtr intrusion from inside ( negative side ), only manage it by direction, collection, & removal,,, acceptable prevention MUST be done from the exterior ( positive side ).

here's where it gets interesting: financial impact of negative vs positive methods,,, NO ONE's invented a silver bullet that'll resolve this, either,,, the cost of excavation, proper rehabilitation to include membranes, backfill, proper compaction, & final grading's a cost not easing recoverable when selling the property,,, positive drainage about the foundation perimeter's never useless or wasteful impo.

some inescapable basic rules of water: 1, runs downhill; 2, seeks its own level; 3, rushes to fill a void ( try scooping a hole in your bathtub full of water ), & 4, takes the path of least resistance,,, stir in the underground riverlets & pathways that yrs of wtr have created leading to your very fine bsmt,,, then fold in soil compaction next to the bsmt walls usually 60-70% of undisturb'd earth on the lot.

speaking of pools, we once sealed 1 which the owner, against our advice, then drained over the winter,,, in the spring, it'd popp'd out of the ground & stood 3' higher'n the pool's conc apron,,, ship's hull, indeed ! :laughing:

btw, my home's not exempt nor has any waivers from the water rules,,, prior to sale, we'll coat w/thoroseal/drylock style mtl, inform the buyer of said problem & treatment, then walk away :whistling2: no one says it has to work - only that i have to disclose.


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## gottabee (Dec 31, 2008)

Hey LMCD........polyurethane injection on the wall crack ABSOLUTELY in my personal opinion..but before that ....exactly what yesitsconcrete suggests...if you can fix on the exterior great, unfortunately this is not always possible so you have to fix it and I am speaking from experience....but we paid a professional to do it....it's quite interesting....a little more expensive than probably a kit...but isn't that always the way.....the crack was cleaned out with acid and then rinsed clean...holes were made parallel to the crack on the angle...the injection stuff went in the holes found the crack and filled it all up and then the holes used to inject are filled....where we did it if you go outside...you can actually see the stuff coming out of the crack on the exterior....I started another post not too long ago ...I have a leaking basement as well....and yesitsconcrete has been assisting me also..... ...his fingers must be sore.....:yes:...but its appreciated...even though this has been discussed at naseum....everyone thinks that there particular problem is unique (as I thought as well):no:


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## eci (Aug 6, 2009)

Hello,

I have been a waterproofing contractor for 20 years. Most leaking basements that I have sealed have been the result of hydrostatic pressure forcing the mosture through the concrete or masonary surface. Of course, you may also have cracks in the wall as well. 

I always pressure-wash the surface and remove any paint or existing surface sealants. Then I use a deep penetrating sealant product from www.flexcoatings.com. You just wet the surface and use a pesticide sprayer to apply the product. Follow the manufacture instructions applying several coats along with applications of water to help drive the sealer deep into the concrete or masonary surface. It actually forms a gel inside of the concrete as well as a surface seal. 

It is a commercial grade product. I never use surface sealers, the kind that you can get at the depot or hardware store. This material hardens the concrete as well and restores the integrity of the concrete. 

After I seal the concrete I pressure-wash the surface again. Best to rent a high-powered unit 3,500 p.s.i. Don't wast your time with a low-powered unit. It simply will not clean the surface well enough. Be careful however, these units can be dangerous. They will rip though shoes or worse. Wear gloves, leather or rubber boots, long pants and a face shield.

Once the concrete is sealed then you can seal any cracks that you might find. You can use any high-grade polyurethane caulking. Make sure that you have thoroughly cleaned all of the residual from the sealing process and that the surface is bone dry. I use a caulking from Flex Coatings because it sticks to anything and can even be applied to wet surfaces or in colder weather. Just make sure that you use a high end caulking that can be exposed to the UV, unless you plan to apply a surface coating.

A surface coating will provide an extra layer of waterproofing. I pretty much buy all of these products from the same place because I know that they are compatable and the company has good technical support when I need application assistance. 

When waterproofing the most important thing to rememer is that nothing sticks to a dirty or glossy surface. If you have a hydrostatic pressure problem purchase commercial grade products for effective results.

Good luck!

Eldridge Jones
Eldridge Construction, Inc.


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## Jim Hart (Feb 23, 2009)

I have a leak similar to yours, my driveway and concrete front porch are above my leak so I can't dig down to repair from the outside. I routed out my crack and caulked with a polyurathane caulk. Epoxy or urathane injection would even be better. I then drilled a 3/8" hole through the crack, all the way to the outside, about 18" above the basement floor and caulked in a piece of 1/4" copper tubing that I ran to a drain. This allows the water to escape and not to build up hydralic pressure behind the wall. Two years now and so far so good.


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## stadry (Jun 20, 2009)

that's 1 way to ' manage ' leaking wtr,,, most ' french drains ' install'd today rely on the same principles - wtr runs downhill & takes the path of least resistance,,, injection would've only redirect'd forc'd the wtr to find another route into your very fine bsmt.


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## shortlid (Apr 22, 2009)

*Poly foam brand?*

I have the same issue the water only comes in to our walk out basement on our two story colonial in very hard rain or during spring snow melt. It comed through a hairline shrinkage crack in the poured foundation I have regraded the lot and installed seemless gutters on the side of the house against the hill and the water is MUCH less. But still 3-4 cups gets in. I have tried trowling on Hydro. cement from the inside and it still gets through. :yes:

Anyone used the consumer injectable tube products for injecting in the cracks? I have some Quickete Concrete crack filler. It is more of a cement based silicone caulk than anything.


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## stadry (Jun 20, 2009)

you mention 2 different materials - 3 if you count hydraulic,,, its doubtful you can buy ANY injectible epoxy from an apron store for crk injection to stop water,,, the quikcrete products for crack sealing only & its performance is scant at best impo,,, we'd pick 100% silicone instead - either tubes for caulking guns OR 55gal drums as we used it.

you're trying to stop water from entering - a sisyphean task at the least,,, either hie yourself to a pro const supply house & get either hydrophyllic/hydrophobic polyurethane grout or suffer the water leaks,,, the alternative's digging down to the crack from outside as previously mentioned.

all it takes is a hammer drill, carbide bit, & a 2part caulking gun,,, we use a plews grease gun & bang-in ports but that's our work.


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## shortlid (Apr 22, 2009)

*Thanks*



itsreallyconc said:


> you mention 2 different materials - 3 if you count hydraulic,,, its doubtful you can buy ANY injectible epoxy from an apron store for crk injection to stop water,,, the quikcrete products for crack sealing only & its performance is scant at best impo,,, we'd pick 100% silicone instead - either tubes for caulking guns OR 55gal drums as we used it.
> 
> you're trying to stop water from entering - a sisyphean task at the least,,, either hie yourself to a pro const supply house & get either hydrophyllic/hydrophobic polyurethane grout or suffer the water leaks,,, the alternative's digging down to the crack from outside as previously mentioned.
> 
> all it takes is a hammer drill, carbide bit, & a 2part caulking gun,,, we use a plews grease gun & bang-in ports but that's our work.


 
Thanks for the help, I will dig down to the base of the crack. I can see 2 feet of it above the grade outside. Buy the Applied Technology system for $155. I just hope it works for that kind of money!


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## stadry (Jun 20, 2009)

hopefully your crk's not 8' deep :no: we'd use roofing cement belowgrade w/pvc miradrain dimpleboard ( found leftover on the trk or in the shop ) press'd into the raw product then another larger repeating layer of the same over that,,, then backfill - $ 25 MAYBE :laughing:

above grade either epoxy injection OR grey sonneborn coating.


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## shortlid (Apr 22, 2009)

*Sonneborn*

It is just a shinkage crack, maybe 1/16th wide at the most but from top to the slab, it does not meet in the middle kind of goes the stops then picks up a few inches over. It is in the middle of a long straight wall. BASF has like 25 diff. Sonneborn products what is the "gray" stuff called? 

You use the pvc miradrain dimpleboard bellow grade to create a air void to let the crack area drain out correct? I would think the roofing tar would clog it up??


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## stadry (Jun 20, 2009)

roofing cement would work as well,,, the coatings prevent water from entering that particular crk ONLY !


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## shortlid (Apr 22, 2009)

*Only leaking at the cracks*

The basement only leaks at that crack, and at another shrinkage crack where the foundation steps down for the framing of the walk out on the other side of the house. I will dig both out bellow grade and apply the roofing cement and see how it goes! Thanks again!


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