Home repair: How to repair seepage in basement
Q. We are experiencing water seepage in the front northeast corner of the basement for the first time in the 13 years we have lived in this house. The basement is constructed of concrete blocks 10 courses high, with a poured-cement floor. This began with the melting of snow and icicles dripping from the gutters at the front of the house, and it has continued with all the rain we have experienced. We have observed that the ground at that corner has a slight dip toward the foundation and that a drip line the width of the gutter is visible in that area. There is also scaling on the concrete blocks up to about the fifth course. The water seems to be coming in from the point where the wall meets the floor and from the concrete blocks up to the second course. There is no bowing of the wall. We are considering the following solutions.
We want to add fill to the area that slopes toward the house so that the ground will slope away. When the wall dries out, paint it with a waterproof masonry paint and seal where the wall meets the floor with some kind of waterproof caulk. Is there a chance this will solve the problem? French drains seem to be too expensive an approach. Does the scaling on the wall create a problem with its integrity? Should it be removed before painting and, if so, how? In addition to adding soil to the low area, would covering it with heavy-duty plastic and adding river rocks to extend four to five feet from the foundation be a better solution? Would the commercial gutters you mention in your column help at the front of the house to lessen the ice backup and icicle melting?
A. Yes. Add fill to raise the low area and fill the trough formed at the drip line below the gutter; it must be coming from overflowing of the gutter. Once you have sloped the grade gently (two inches per horizontal foot is my recommendation), plant grass on it. There should be no need to lay plastic and river rocks, but that is your choice. To prevent gutter overflow, replace the existing gutters with commercial gutters and downspouts. This may eliminate the need for cleaning them regularly, unless you have a huge amount of leaves, in which case you may want to look into DCI’s Flo-Free Leaf Guard gutter covers (www.dciproducts.com).
If the scaling of the concrete blocks is not deep (less than half an inch), there may be no need to do anything about it, but you can remove it and apply a vinyl-reinforced cement patch, such as Top’n Bond. Once you have raised the grade, there may no longer be any leakage, and the water within the blocks’ cores should dissipate.
I never recommend waterproofing cinder blocks or concrete blocks from inside, as this causes water to build up within the blocks, which can cause serious damage to the living spaces as it tries to evaporate. Caulking of the floor and wall joint may also not be needed.
Q. My problem is an ice jam in the gutter attached to the roof of a rear, second-story dormer. The roof of this dormer has only a slight downward slope to the gutter. It is shingled, and it would appear that there is little or no insulation between the roof deck and the inside ceiling. Ice built up in the gutter and worked its way between the siding and the inside wall, and under the shingles, causing water damage in the upstairs rooms. We consulted with a contractor who made the following suggestions: Remove the shingles from the dormer section of the roof; insulate that area; apply a rubber or metal roof to that section; apply an ice guard to the edge of the roof.
The home was built in 1949, and we are planning to sell within five years. Would these suggestions solve the problem? Is there a less expensive solution that would still do the job? Would installing commercial gutters in that area solve the problem?
A. Installing commercial gutters would not solve the problem in this case. A shallow-pitch roof should not have been shingled. Assuming that the roof covering has been replaced several times since 1949, the latest replacement should have been done with a rubber membrane. Earlier replacement, before the use of rubber membrane on residential roofs, should have been made with a soldered metal roof or a painted, canvas one. You do not mention any ventilation in the dormer roof. I doubt that there is enough space between the rafters of the dormer to provide adequate fiberglass insulation and a vented space.
So here are your choices:
Ÿ Remove the shingles and the roof sheathing. If the existing fiberglass insulation does not fill the rafter spaces (it could be rockwool in your area in 1949), have a 1½-inch vented space provided by installing 1-inch-thick rigid XPS insulation on top of the existing insulation. The XPS should be held in place by nailing 1-inch-by-2-inch strapping flush with the top of the rafters. Provide continuous soffit and ridge ventilation. Considering that this will still not be sufficient to prevent enough heat loss resulting in ice dams, add 1-inch XPS or Hi-R rigid insulation to the ceilings and cover it with new drywall;
Ÿ If the existing insulation fills the rafter spaces, have 2-by-4-inch sleepers (strips of wood) screwed to the top of the rafters. Add 2-inch-thick XPS on top of the existing insulation. Replace the sheathing. Provide continuous soffit and ridge venting. If it can be determined that the insulation fills the rafter spaces without having to remove the roof sheathing, the sleepers can be installed over it;
Ÿ Remove the shingles and roof sheathing. Remove the existing insulation, and have closed-cell polyurethane insulation sprayed to fill the entire rafter spaces. Or have the insulation sprayed, but leave a 1½-inch air space for ventilation. Replace the sheathing;
Ÿ If there is enough headroom in the upstairs rooms, add 2-inch-thick XPS or Hi-R rigid insulation to the ceilings and cover it with new drywall. After removing the shingles, have a rubber roof installed over the required fibrous or XPS material to cushion it.
You will note that I am always in favor of ventilation between the insulation and the roof sheathing. If by ice guard your contractor means a metal ice belt or an ice and water protective membrane, there is no need to do this with a rubber roof. But have the metal drip edge applied around the rubber roof fabricated to cover the fascia board in order to seal the joint of the roof sheathing and the fascia. Reapply the gutter through this metal drip edge. You can use commercial gutters and downspouts, but using commercial downspouts in combination with a residential gutter is OK as long as the gutter outlet is 3-by-4 inches.
Q. We are considering having a standing-seam metal roof installed on our house. However, we have noticed several homes with standing-seam roofs whose gutters have sagged with the heavy snow this winter. Is there any way to prevent this? Or are standing-seam roofs a poor choice for a home using gutters? We enjoy your columns very much and find them most helpful.
A. You can install gutter guards on the standing seams. But you should make sure the roof structure is able to take the heavy load of snow. If you haven’t had a problem by now, this should not be of concern.
Q. When we have a hard rain, I get water seeping through two walls in my basement. The walls are located on the side of the house that has about five feet of dirt on it, and I have the dirt slanted away from the house. This only happens during heavy rains and not slow, steady ones. My basement is finished, but I have to refinish the walls. What can I use to waterproof the walls either on the outside or inside, or both?
A. Where does it leak through the two walls — at the joint of the walls and the floor or higher up? Does the leakage occur while the hard rain is taking place or a day or two later? The answer to these questions makes a difference in identifying the problem. If the leakage occurs at the joint of the walls and the floor, and during the rain or within a couple of hours after the rain stops, there seems to be a grading problem, perhaps not exactly where the earth is mounded but in another location. If the leakage occurs hours later, there may be an underground watercourse or swelling spring. In that case, the cure is quite different and may entail some expensive work. If your walls are cinder blocks or concrete blocks, under no circumstances must you waterproof them from inside. It would only cause water to build up within the cores of the blocks and create havoc in the living quarters. Outside waterproofing may be a solution, but I need to know more before I can advise you to undertake it.
Q. I’m a senior female living alone and need help with a problem. I live in a ranch-style house. I have natural-gas heating, water and dryer. My chimney has not been pointed for a few years. I would appreciate any information you could provide on who should do the work or whether my handyman should do it. And if so, what materials would he need? The bricks look as if there is dried-out mortar between some of them; otherwise, it appears OK. What do you think?
A. I am not sure what you mean by dried-out mortar. If some pieces have fallen out, the chimney should be tuck-pointed to prevent further damage from freezing, which could cause the bricks to spall. If your handyman is experienced with this type of work — and with walking safely on roofs — you can have him do the repair. Otherwise, a mason or chimney sweep is an alternative. You may also ask whoever will take care of the repair to coat the chimney with a clear siloxane-based sealant to protect the bricks and mortar. It can be purchased at a masonry-supply house.
Q. We are in the final stage of our new-home construction, and our builder gave us a preliminary walk-through of the house. While doing so, he mentioned that the tile grout in our stand shower is not sealed. I did read a little bit about what will happen if the grout is not sealed. Could you please recommend a product that would do the job? Also, we have a new cedar deck, which requires sealing as well. We want a clear sealant. Which product would you recommend and when would you recommend doing it?
A. Why didn’t the builder apply a sealer over the tiles and grout? If he recommends it, he should have done it rather than leaving it up to you. If he had used an epoxy grout, there would be no need to seal it. A tile store can sell you a sealer such as Solo Seal, which is sprayed on the entire surface. When it has dried, wipe off any excess. Tile contractors or dealers may recommend StoneTech by DuPont, which is either sprayed or applied by brush.
My recommendation for a cedar deck is to apply Amteco TWP, and it should be done as soon as possible. TWP comes in clear and several hues — cedar tone may be appropriate. You can find all the information on the company’s website at www.amteco.com. Keep in mind that a clear finish should be applied yearly for best results while the semitransparent stains may only need treatment every few years.
Ÿ Henri de Marne 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 email at henridemarne@gmavt.net.
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