Basement Floor Wet

2/16/2013 at 9:19:12 AM

In the winter the ground is frozen and doesn't drain as it normally does. With the weather we have been having, it's like having multiple spring thaws. The snow melts but has no were to go because the ground is still frozen.

The first step is the grading around your house. The ground MUST be sloped away from your house. If the grading is correct then you need to have a foundation contractor come in. Water will find it's way in through the smallest crack, and you have a big one all the way around your foundation, were the floor meets the foundation walls.

I'm not a fan of injection and it is not a suitable repair for every situation. To me it's more of a patch or cover-up instead of actually fixing the source or cause of the problem. Do not finish your basement until you are sure that the problem is fixed.

One other thing to check is the floor drain, it might have backed up on you or a furnace or humidifier drain hose might have failed.

2/17/2013 at 7:14:17 PM

Hi Jennifer,

Your first step is to not continue finishing your basement as you will only make the problem worse. ie. Moisture in the walls/floors which would lead to eventual mold growth. You need to investigate and all possible sources of water to narrow down where is the original source.

It seems you already dismissed a mechanical problems form your supplies/fixtures. This would indicate either ground water from the exterior. So your first step is to complete a visual inspection of the exterior (grading, cracks, etc.). This is usually the problem with water in the basement of a new home.

If you think you may have a possible location of water coming in, perform a water test to see if you can manually recreate the problem.

There are many other reasons of water penetrating but these would be the most common.

I hope this helps!

Thank you

2/19/2013 at 10:26:44 AM

Hi Jennifer,

Before you can solve the problem, you must source the cause of the problem.

If it is a crack in the foundation as you described, your best bet would be to dig in this area on the outside of the house and see what the crack looks like.

Injecting the crack from the inside is generally not going to be the best way to fix the problem...

Does your house have drain tile?

Is your foundation waterproof from the outside?

Is your foundation masonry blocks or concrete?

What is the grade difference from your exterior grade and you basement slab?

Based on your description of the situation, the best way to fix this over the long term would be to dig on the outside of the foundation and fix the crack, then waterproof the area with a tar and dimple drain.

Depending on your cost situation, adding drain tile to your house (if your slab is below grade) and waterproofing your entire foundation from the outside may be a worthwhile investment.

It would be an unfortunate experience to spend all the money finishing your basement and then having a future leak ruining all your hard work.

If you post your project on Handy Canadian, you could get some on site information from some local contractors.

Good Luck