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Old 08-18-2012, 06:57 PM
 
21 posts, read 41,635 times
Reputation: 15

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I purchased a 1920s colonial around Roslyn about a year ago.

During heavy rains (which have been rather common this summer), a small area in the front of the basement leaks somewhat (probably less than 2 gallons during the heaviest rainfalls). The basement is unfinished. The portion that leaks appears not to have been sealed (there used to be an oil tank there, and the prior owner applied sealant after the tank was installed).

I would like to eliminate the leak so that the basement can be finished.

In addition to sealing the unsealed portion of the basement wall, I am thinking that I should also do the following:

A) Re-do the entire gutter system, which is prone to clogging and set up so that it directs 95% of its drainage directly at the foundation.

B) Re-grade the yard around the foundation to direct drainage away from the house.

Several questions:

1. Does anyone have any sense about how effective this approach might be?

2. How much should this cost?

3. Can anyone recommend a reputable gutter specialist and/or landscaper for the job? There are so many landscapers around, it's impossible to tell who among them might be effective at solving drainage issues as opposed to just cutting grass and trimming hedges.

Thanks!
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Old 08-18-2012, 07:43 PM
 
267 posts, read 597,520 times
Reputation: 247
Do not know the gutter price but you are right on the money as far as correcting this problem. I would do the gutters first and see what happens. Also I would consider using Drylok and complete the interior waterproofing.
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Old 08-18-2012, 09:25 PM
 
730 posts, read 1,651,780 times
Reputation: 1649
Quote:
Originally Posted by jishaoshuren View Post
I purchased a 1920s colonial around Roslyn about a year ago.

During heavy rains (which have been rather common this summer), a small area in the front of the basement leaks somewhat (probably less than 2 gallons during the heaviest rainfalls). The basement is unfinished. The portion that leaks appears not to have been sealed (there used to be an oil tank there, and the prior owner applied sealant after the tank was installed).

I would like to eliminate the leak so that the basement can be finished.

In addition to sealing the unsealed portion of the basement wall, I am thinking that I should also do the following:

A) Re-do the entire gutter system, which is prone to clogging and set up so that it directs 95% of its drainage directly at the foundation.

B) Re-grade the yard around the foundation to direct drainage away from the house.

Several questions:

1. Does anyone have any sense about how effective this approach might be?

2. How much should this cost?

3. Can anyone recommend a reputable gutter specialist and/or landscaper for the job? There are so many landscapers around, it's impossible to tell who among them might be effective at solving drainage issues as opposed to just cutting grass and trimming hedges.

Thanks!

I don't think that is what you meant......
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Old 08-18-2012, 11:54 PM
 
Location: Inis Fada
16,966 posts, read 34,639,962 times
Reputation: 7722
Try the gutters first. Extend the downspouts so they discharge further away from the foundation. Before you do that, clean your gutters. You should do that at least once a year.
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Old 08-19-2012, 08:51 AM
 
629 posts, read 1,698,371 times
Reputation: 648
I'd tackle the gutters first - as others have suggested here.

I use something similar to this at all my downspouts to get the water away from the foundation:
L.B. Plastics, Inc. Downspout Extension - Brown - 3' to 6' long - 1201-1 - Tools - Tool Sets - Mechanics Tool Sets

Last week we got 2" of rain inside of an hour - in the middle of the deluge - I grabbed an umbrella and headed outside to inspect the gutters and see how they were doing their job (I had cleaned them the week before). There's no better way to see how they are functioning than to stand outside and watch them in action.

I have a bone-dry basement - but I understand that attempts to do any kind of sealing from the inside are generally a waste of time and only mask water penetration problems - not address them.
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Old 08-19-2012, 08:52 AM
 
Location: under the beautiful Carolina blue
22,654 posts, read 36,662,452 times
Reputation: 19848
Clean the gutters and extend your downspouts if needed. That should solve the problem before you get new ones or re-grade. Try the easy fixes first.
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Old 08-19-2012, 08:54 AM
 
Location: under the beautiful Carolina blue
22,654 posts, read 36,662,452 times
Reputation: 19848
Quote:
Originally Posted by SouthBound3 View Post
I have a bone-dry basement - but I understand that attempts to do any kind of sealing from the inside are generally a waste of time and only mask water penetration problems - not address them.
I've heard this too - in fact I've heard that spraying something on the walls is the worst thing you can do.
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Old 08-19-2012, 05:51 PM
 
Location: Nesconset, NY
2,202 posts, read 4,315,545 times
Reputation: 2159
Quote:
Originally Posted by SouthBound3 View Post
I'd tackle the gutters first - as others have suggested here.

I use something similar to this at all my downspouts to get the water away from the foundation:
L.B. Plastics, Inc. Downspout Extension - Brown - 3' to 6' long - 1201-1 - Tools - Tool Sets - Mechanics Tool Sets

Last week we got 2" of rain inside of an hour - in the middle of the deluge - I grabbed an umbrella and headed outside to inspect the gutters and see how they were doing their job (I had cleaned them the week before). There's no better way to see how they are functioning than to stand outside and watch them in action.

I have a bone-dry basement - but I understand that attempts to do any kind of sealing from the inside are generally a waste of time and only mask water penetration problems - not address them.
SouthBound3 is right on. By watching the gutters during a rainfall you can see which might be undersized (overflowing or rain coming off roof drains over them), which are barely necessary, how your roof sheds water, whether or not you have leaks or incorrect pitch, etc. Going out during a rainfall also lets you see where water is "ponding" in your yard or flowing where you don't want it to flow (sometimes it takes a deluge to see this).

As for hiring someone to correct grading...most can't unless you provide them with a topographic drainage design. And even then it's a crapshoot that they'll get it right. A solution more likely to be successful would be to hire a rotary drain spinner and lay perforated drain pipes pitched to the street, drywell, or swale.
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Old 08-19-2012, 06:49 PM
 
1,082 posts, read 2,759,415 times
Reputation: 549
Yes, you're absolutely correct, you'll need to correct any run-off problems outside and grade properly before you'll dry out your basement. Fill any cracks in the foundation as well.

It's always better to seal the foundation wall from the outside, if possible. If there's still a break in the wall, painting the foundation wall with a sealing paint will just be a mess. It'll peel and create a mold and mildew hazard.

After you've successfully sealed the foundation to eliminate any water leakage, prepare the interior walls for either sprayed foam or sheets of EPS. I used 2" EPS, cemented with special foam adhesive, all around my basement. Optionally, you could spray foam on to the walls, which is an excellent insulator but can be pricey. After the walls are covered with EPS or foam, you're ready to start framing. Once the walls are framed, fill the cavities with unfaced bat insulation. By now, you'll have an R-value of 13 to about 20 which is excellent. Once this is done, you're ready to dry-wall. Lot's of contractors use standard 1/2" dry-wall, but if you can, go thicker or buy some of the new mold resistant dry-wall.

Don't forget about the floor. I used 3/4" EPS foam (so as not to raise the floor too much), attached with foam adhesive. There was a crack in my floor, although it was dry, I used hydraulic cement after chiseling it out. After the initial layer of foam, I used two layers of floor-grade 1/2" 4x8 plywood, layed in an overlapping pattern. The first layer of plywood was attached using 1 1/4" tapcon screws, the second layer used 1 1/4" drywall screws.

I'm actually dry-walling now, but I can tell you my basement is dry as can be, after being a smelly, damp fountain of mold and mildew.

Have fun and enjoy your basement!
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