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8/6/2019

basement water infiltration

3 Comments

Read Now
 
"Our home’s basement needs some tuckpointing/repointing and perhaps some drainage due to water intrusion.  I’m curious if you have recommendations?"
 
The only real way to truly correct water intrusion in a basement is to trench around the exterior of the  basement walls and lay drain tiles/perforated PVC, a layer of gravel, and then to close it back up. The water infiltration is likely the cause of the need for tuck pointing on those basement walls.

Things to check - 
Are the walls cinder block? Rubble stone? 
Are the downspouts running far enough away from the house? 
Is the terrain around the house sloped away from the house enough to get run-off as far away from the house as possible?
 
There are some inside “bandaids” that are marketed but they are just that, a bandaid. The water is at the interior surface of the walls with any of those solutions.
 
If you can get a French drain on the outside, tar/seal the exterior wall and fill with gravel and then topsoil, you will most likely solve your problem. Remember to grade the soil away from the house a bit.

If that doesn’t resolve the problem, you can always go back at a later time and install a drain and sump under the basement floor. One is not dependant on the other. Just be sure the perimeter drain around the exterior has a place to dump the water.

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3 Comments
Waterproofinggrandrapids.com link
2/15/2022 04:07:40 am

Thanks for sharing these great tips and tricks!

Reply
Emmy
9/22/2022 08:56:35 am

What if you have limestone ashlar foundation with lime mortar? I've heard that you don't want to trap the walls by any means or using the incorrect portland cement. Who can you recommend to tuckpoint with lime mortar, it seems like a lost art because of the product limited use anymore.

Reply
Grand Rapids Basement Pros link
10/3/2022 03:22:05 am

Water entering your basement due to drainage problems, flash floods, appliance failures or other reasons can cause severe damage to your home. Thanks for these helpful tips!

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  • Home
  • About
    • About PDI
    • History
    • Preservation Awards >
      • 2022 Preservation Awards
  • Membership
  • Donate
  • Neighborhoods and Landmarks
  • Endangered Properties
    • Endangered Properties >
      • Louis Traxler Mansion
      • Leopold Rauh House
      • Michael Neil House
      • Dayton Daily News Building
      • Van Deman Apartments
      • Thomas E. Tucker House
      • John R. Reynolds Mansion
      • Santa Clara Business District
    • Lost Properties >
      • Gem City Ice Cream Building
      • Edward T. Snediker House
    • Saved Properties >
      • South Park Methodist Church
  • Walking Tours
    • Dayton View Historic DIstrict
    • Five Oaks Historic Districts >
      • Squirrel-Forest Historic District
    • Grafton Hill Historic DIstrict
    • Huffman Historic District
    • McPherson Town Historic District
    • Oregon Historic District
    • South Park Historic District
    • St. Anne's Hill Historic District
    • Paul Laurence Dunbar Historic District
    • West Third Street Historic District
    • Wright-Dunbar Village Historic District
  • Resources
    • Member Only Content >
      • Archived Walking Tours
      • Contractor Directory
    • Start Here!
    • Tips and Tricks
    • Researching Your Historic Home
    • Home Repair Assistance
    • Years in Review
    • Documents
  • Contact