Running out of options for leaky basement

Q. I have had leakage coming in over my basement wall for many years. Every time a moderate-to-heavy rain comes in from the east, southeast or northeast and hits the outward extended portion of the structure, we get leakage.

I have had at least five or six contractors plus a representative of the homebuilder come and give me advice. I have filled any cracks in the face bricks, from tuck-pointing it to coating the bricks with a sealer, and sealing all possible places where windows, siding and bricks meet each other. The water damage is also on the inside first floor in the living-room area. No inside leakage has ever been noticed on the second-floor bedroom, which is over the living room. Since my last sealing attempt on the outside of the house, I have not noticed any leakage under the inside window ledge. The foundation is about 8 inches above the ground and the ground slopes away from the house. I am at my wits end and need help desperately. Can you advise?

A. Your situation is somewhat puzzling because you haven't had leakage under the inside window aprons since you did more sealing outside. If it weren't for this, my suspicion would be your problem (and it seems serious judging by the photos you sent) is due to the faulty installation of the windows. This seems to be a reasonable explanation since you haven't had any problems on the second floor.

If the builder cut the housewrap, I assume to be under what looks like vinyl siding, diagonally from corner to corner (what we call an "X cut") and folded all four flaps over the rough framing, he or she created a problem at the window heads since the windows were applied over the housewrap instead of under it. Any wind-driven rain getting behind the vinyl siding would run down the outside of the windows to the lower levels, hence the leakage and water stains in the living room and basement.

Another possibility is that drain tabs were not provided at the J-channel above the window heads. It also looks, from the photos, as if the water draining out of the J-channels is led behind the corner trim. If there is no adequate waterproofing in the form of a waterproof membrane wrapped around these corners, and no proper drainage provided, water may have a free run all the way down an inadequately protected sheathing.

Obviously, it is nearly impossible to be certain that those are the problems by looking at photos, but that may be a good staring point. Find a very experienced vinyl-siding contractor and have these possibilities checked. One or more windows may have to be removed to see how they were installed.

Q. I lost the article that you wrote that had a product that dealt with Indian meal moths. Can you send me the article or the product name? I believe it was designed to act against the male moths.

A. The product is Revenge Pantry Bug Trap. You can buy it from Gardener's Supply Co. in Williston, Vt. The traps attract the males and they die, interrupting the breeding cycle. The toll-free phone number is (888) 833-1412, www.gardeners.com. They sell these traps in sets of two, item No. 32-599, for $8.95. I have tried them and they work.

Indian meal moths may have been brought in with groceries in an already-infected product or may have come from a store that had an infestation. The immature stage larvae may have attached itself to some packaging.

Q. I have a problem that has stumped everyone so far and would value your opinion. For the past few years, we have had to keep our hot water tank on the highest setting possible, yet we still only get two to three minutes of hot water. Then the water is tepid, at best.

Thinking it might be the hot water tank, we replaced it a few months ago, but the problem remains. The representative for the company came out to look at the tank and said it checked out fine. He advised us to turn down the tank temperature to avoid condensation on the basement floor, but then the water never heats up. We have a 50-gallon tank and can't even get three minutes of hot water! Any suggestions? We have a friend who is very knowledgeable about plumbing and he is stumped, too. What could be the problem and what should we try next?

A. There are several possibilities, but some of them should not apply to a newly installed tank. You didn't say what type of heater you have. An electric water heater can quickly run out of hot water if the bottom element dies. It is also possible that the thermostat is bad. Any water heater can run out of hot water if the hot and cold water pipes have been reversed or if the dip tube has disintegrated. It would be strange, to say the least, for a new tank to suffer from a bad thermostat or a missing dip tube, and for an electric heater to have a defective lower element, but stranger things have happened. A plumber or electrician can check the thermostat and the lower element. I am puzzled at the recommendation to lower the temperature of the heater to avoid condensation on the floor. Heat does not cause condensation.

Q. When our dishwasher drains, it makes the sink drain gurgle loudly. The dishwasher discharge is connected to the sink drain, just above the sink drain trap. Do I need some sort of vent, and if so, where should it be tied in?

A. Since the dishwasher discharge is connected to the sink drain, it sounds as if you do not have an air gap. The proper installation would have the dishwasher drainpipe attached to the air gap (which sits on the sink rim next to the faucet) from which another pipe is connected to the tailpipe below the sink. However, this may not make any difference in the gurgling sound, which is normal. You may be especially sensitive to the noise it makes.

Q. My living room has a cathedral ceiling. The crawl space attic is insulated on the floor and roof side. We're still losing heat. We have a hard time heating our living room, and the snow is melting fast on the roof. Is it possible, or worth it, to blow pulverized insulation in the crawl space between the existing insulation?

A. I assume that there is a crawl space in a room adjacent to the living room on a second floor. You didn't say whether the heat loss that causes the snow to melt fast is on both sides of the roof as opposed to only the side of the living room or the side of the crawl space. If it is on the side of the living room, try installing a ceiling fan that you'll keep running all the time, blowing upward. It will circulate the warmest air along the walls of the living room that stagnates at the peak of the cathedral ceiling. This will also improve the temperature at the floor level, as it will prevent stratification of warm air that rises to the ceiling. This may solve the discomfort you feel in the living room.

It is difficult to advise you, knowing so little about what your particular situation is regarding the crawl space insulation. Check whether your utility provider offers free or low-cost energy audits and advice on improvements. You may need more insulation on the cathedral ceiling as well.

Q. My question concerns water pressure in my home. I have a two-story house built in the 1930s. All my pipes are copper.

In the last several months, I've been having water-pressure problems. If our washing machine is filling in the basement we have little or no water in the kitchen and even less in the second-floor bathroom. Our water company tells me there is no leakage outside. They suggested I replace my pressure regulator, which I did. This provided no help. I purchased an instrument to measure the pressure, which was set for 50 psi. I have adjusted it to 60 psi. When our faucets are turned on, there is an initial burst of fast flowing water the flow slows considerably within seconds. Could there be some blockage somewhere? How can I find out where and, more importantly, what can be done to fix the problem?

A. City pressure is usually around 90 psi., so there is a pressure-reducing valve to lower the house pressure. There should be a gate valve on the house side of the pressure-reducing valve. It is possible that the gate fell off the stem in a 1930s vintage valve. Have a licensed plumber check it out.

Q. I enjoy reading your column. Of particular interest was the column on the use of the Humidex versus a dehumidifier for a musty basement. Our dehumidifier sits on the cellar floor. I am now physically unable to empty the water receptacle and thought of relocating the unit onto a shelf adjacent to a window. Attaching a hose to the dehumidifier will enable any water to flow onto a flower garden. Will a unit 5 to 6 feet above the floor work as efficiently? I've talked to a contractor about installing a shelf and await your response.

A. Since water vapor seeks its own level, as does water in liquid form, placing the dehumidifier on the shelf should still work fine. One word of caution: Is the amount of water discharged going to cause basement water leakage? A dehumidifier can discharge one or more gallons of water in a 24-hour period, and this may saturate the ground around the discharge point in a short time, especially if accompanied with rain. Consider discharging the water a couple of feet away from the foundation and into a long perforated pipe parallel to the house to spread the goodies.

• Henri de Marne's column appears Sundays. He was a remodeling contractor in Washington, D.C., for many years, and is now a consultant. Write to him in care of the Daily Herald, P.O. Box 280, Arlington Heights, IL 60006, or via e-mail at henridemarne@gmavt.net.

© 2009, United Feature Syndicate Inc.