Basement Leaks


  #1  
Old 12-21-16, 06:33 AM
J
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Basement Leaks

I have a couple of leaks in my basement.

I think I should apply basement sealer to this one:
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And for this one, my guess is that rain was getting in where the cable comes into the house, and draining on my alarm box. So, I think I should caulk this from the outside and inside:
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Does that sound right? Any other feedback?

Thanks!
 
  #2  
Old 12-21-16, 07:42 AM
C
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Foundation wall leaks are always best addressed from the outside, as painful as that is. Interior sealants are not effective for long if at all, and usually just cause the leak to move elsewhere as water that enters the wall will find its way in.

First step is to make sure gutters and downspouts (if you have them) are clear and draining properly away from the foundation, and to make sure ground is graded away from the walls so water drains as far away as possible.
 
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Old 12-21-16, 08:12 AM
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Thanks for your feedback Carbide
 
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Old 12-21-16, 08:28 AM
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What Paul said - anything you do on the inside is attempting to stop the water after it's all the way though. Work on the outside to keep the water away in the first place with grading, gutters and downspout extensions and then calking and flashing properly on the structure itself.
 
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Old 12-21-16, 10:27 AM
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I put downspout extensions on each gutter drain.

I started to put some more dirt up, but the dirt I bought was frozen so I couldn't work with it too well. Once it thaws I will do a better job.

I also put some concrete sealer on the crack that had the leak.

On the leak near the alarm box, I put some insulated caulking/foam on the outside and inside of the house. There was a hole there where the cable had been ran, and air could get through, so this was a good idea anyway (better insulation, less heat escape, and hopefully no water gets through).

On our sump pump the pipe that goes outside drains next to the house. I put some gutter drain blocks to make it drain away from the house as much as I could. I believe years back our neighbor made his sump pump drain go to the drain outside in the street, but you have to dig underground to do that, so I may need a contractor for that. Going to ask him what he did there.
 
 

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