Water In The Basement - Part 2
Water leaks or seepage in your basement will damage stored items, destroy finished walls and flooring, but more importantly it becomes the perfect breeding area for mold. Where there is mold, there is the possibility of reparatory problems, allergies and odors. These contaminants will eventually permeate throughout your home.
Common Areas of Water Seepage:
Water Seepage Over The Top Of The Foundation Wall - Figures 5 & 6
Figure 5 - Water seepage over top of foundation
Figure 6 - Proper foundation grading
There are only two reasons that water would enter a home over the top of the foundation wall and that is improper or inadequate drainage and that the ground surface is higher than the top of the foundation. The foundation wall should always be a minimum of 6 inches above ground level. If water is seeping over the top of the foundation wall, it means that water is in contact with the wood sill plate and the joists. This will lead to the sill plate rotting and cause serious structural damage to your property.
The remedy is to grade the property so that the top of the ground around the property is below the top of the foundation.
Water Seepage Due To Cracks In The Foundation Wall - Figures 7 & 8
Figure 7 - Water seepage due to crack in foundation
Figure 8 - Foundation crack
Cracks in a poured concrete wall can be caused by a number of items, all out of the homeowners control. Overtime foundations can settle, stress and shrinkage can occur as the concrete cures. Most foundation cracks will run from the base of the foundation to the top and be less than a 1/4 inch wide. Cracks in poured concrete always run through the wall from the interior to the exterior.
If the crack is less than a 1/4 inch in width it can be repaired on the inside of the basement wall using an epoxy / urethane injection system. This process fills the crack from the interior through to the exterior by using pressure, once the epoxy and urethane harden the crack is sealed water tight. In the event that the basement is finished a foundation leak can be repaired on the exterior of the wall by using a wall clay process. This is done by drilling a hole in the ground in the area of the leak on the outside of the foundation and filling with a clay based product. Once the product cures it becomes a watertight seal.
Do-it-yourself concrete wall crack repair information.