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Old 07-27-2017, 05:35 AM
 
1,343 posts, read 772,700 times
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It appears we have a basement concrete wall leak due to multiple heavy rains.
This building is about 20 years old.
There is a crack in the escape window wall, which can be seen from the outside.
I found some info on the Internet, and intend to try Polyurethane injection. Is that the right way to fix it, or do I remove the drywall in this area, and fix from the inside of the basement?
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Old 07-27-2017, 06:48 AM
 
Location: Johns Creek, GA
17,440 posts, read 65,726,318 times
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As a general rule-of-thumb you should always repair leaks from the "source side". But of course, sometimes this is just physically or financially impossible. So the alternative is to repair from the inside; sometimes successful, sometimes not. It's success can depend on other factors as well.

Those other factors are eliminating or at least minimizing how the water is getting there in the first place. Check grade. Insure there is positive grade away from the house, check gutters and downspouts to make sure they are doing their job correctly. Make sure downspouts are piped well away from the foundation of the house. And lastly, insure the window well is draining properly.
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Old 07-27-2017, 08:25 AM
 
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While theory of repairing leaks from the "source side" is OK the reality is that anytime you disturb the soil around the foundation you are creating far more NEW potential paths for water infiltration. Every professional foundation repair company / basement waterproofer I have talked to over the past decade or so has completely switched over to removing the drywall / paneling on the INSIDE of the basement and then injecting ANY of the points of water entry with the appropriate modern materials.

The fact is experienced professionals have learned that the key is bonding the injection material to the SOLID portion of the foundation from the inside -- that sometimes means that they use picks and chisels to remove any concrete that is crumbly. I would strong discourage a DIYer from "experimenting" on this sort of thing as that will only make things harder and more costly when a real pro is eventually called in to actually solve the issue. Knowing when when to use polyurethane vs epoxy and understanding the correct method to get the material sufficiently into any crack is much harder to determine than an "video" will have you believe.

The cost of incorrect attempt to fix this sort of problem is not just the money wasted, nor the time spent tracking down a real pro to undo your amateur efforts, but the nightmare of not being able to sleep whenever is rains -- just hire a pro and have it guaranteed!
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Old 07-27-2017, 08:29 AM
 
Location: Des Moines Metro
5,103 posts, read 8,567,168 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by K'ledgeBldr View Post
Insure there is positive grade away from the house, check gutters and downspouts to make sure they are doing their job correctly. Make sure downspouts are piped well away from the foundation of the house. And lastly, insure the window well is draining properly.
I was going to post this, as well. I've avoided expensive basement problems by making sure the water was draining away, and if it wasn't, address these problems first and then work on the foundation if necessary.
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Old 07-27-2017, 09:34 AM
 
Location: Grosse Ile Michigan
30,707 posts, read 79,510,165 times
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When we studied basement leak issues talked to lots of experts etc, we learned the answer to leaks it not to try to make your basement into a big boat that will keep water out - that never lasts. The answer is to keep the water away form the basement. That crack will never seal completely watertight for the long term. However if water is not resting up against the basement wall, it will not come in. Gt the water away and the problem will go away, then you can patch the crack however you want to. You can eve just use a caulking gun with some sort of grout or even that rubberized stuff you put in sidewalk cracks.
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Old 07-27-2017, 09:58 AM
 
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Thank you, guys!
Now I understand, what to do, and what not to do.
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Old 07-27-2017, 01:39 PM
 
1,343 posts, read 772,700 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by K'ledgeBldr View Post
And lastly, insure the window well is draining properly.

Unfortunately, I am in another state at this moment.
I instructed my wife about this drain on the phone, she found it completely covered with clay, stones, and other debris... Started to clean it. Hopefully, this is the end of the story.
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Old 07-28-2017, 03:28 PM
 
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Default Gulp...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Maple47 View Post
Unfortunately, I am in another state at this moment.
I instructed my wife about this drain on the phone, she found it completely covered with clay, stones, and other debris... Started to clean it. Hopefully, this is the end of the story.
...unfortunately when there is a LOT of debris in the "window well" and it blocks the drain there is generally SOME of that debris that works its way down the clay pipe and into the drain tiles around the foundation. Depending on how much of that debris has settled in the drain tiles you may need to "flush out" the material to restore proper function of the exterior foundation drainage.

Sadly sometime there is really no place to access the drain tile in a way to really snake them out and then the solution is generally to dig them out. The net result of that may end up creating a giant mess AND lead to more leaks. The more careful basement waterproofing companies will have cameras to route down the drain tile and precisely locate any blockage so that a more limited excavation is possible. If you do end up needing such services it is very challenging to find firms that will have the equipment and desire to keep costs to a minimum.

I have to admit that back before the current camera technology was common I did end up paying a very high price to have ALL the drain tiles AND landscaping replaced around a rental home I owned. What made me sick was that when I sold it the place was torn down. If only I had known...
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Old 07-31-2017, 10:20 AM
 
1,343 posts, read 772,700 times
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Thank you, I will keep it in mind!
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