What do I do to water proof?

Question

It poured last night and our back yard flooded which sent water pouring in under the back door. I need to get it weather proofed brfore the next storm. Also we discovered cracks between the blocks in the wall that let water in the house, how do I seal these???

I do live in AZ it was a freak storm

Answer 1

The first thing we need to do is create a path for the water that keeps it far away from your foundation. Regardless of the waterproofing technique, standing water will find a way inside.

If there is enough pitch from your back yard to the street, the best bet is a drain consisting of perforated pipe covered with material (sock pipe) set in a bed of gravel. Set this away from the foundation, where it can trap the water and run it to the street.
The pipe only needs to be perforated in the collection areas.
If there is insufficiant pitch for natural drainage, create a "lift station" by digging a hole, and inserting a 55-gallon drum(or a plastic trash can), with a submersable pump in the bottom with a float switch. Drain water into the top, and pump it out the bottom to the street.

To waterproof the foundation, excavate to a point below the slab, pressure-wash the area to be treated, and apply a ureathane-based coating (www.sanitred.com) This material has amazing properties and outperforms anything on the market.(There is a rubber compound included for large cracks).

Keep dirt and plants away from the foundation, which tend to trap water. Use gravel next to the home in the problem areas so water can run off unobstructed. Take care not to disturb the compacted soil under the footings.

Answer 2

Few of em hit it spot on, the standing/running water needs to have a flow path. 40 years in Florida taught me this. You said blocks so I presume the house is built on a slab. So raising it is almost a moot point.
Since we cannot move the house, redirect the natural water flow. It could take an engineer, expensive, but doubtfull.
The Bisquene/Plastic is a good idea, as is the Sealant, Caulk and whatever.
Problem: Water is flowing towards the house.
Solution: Redirect the waterflow.
Is pretty simple once you put it in perspectives. This is not going to last 50 years, not even 25 years, but will give you some dry time to properly repair the damage that has allready occured.
Other than that, kick back, listen to the wind blowing through the trees and enjoy each moment.

Answer 3

You are in a mell of a hess. you're gonna need a lot of silicone sealer and a door jam that doesn't leak. Think about channeling the water away from the house to give you some time to fix the leaks.
A concrete block wall can be waterproofed but it is a mess, time consuming, and expensive. Best done by professionals, that way you have somebody to sue when it doesn't. hold.

Answer 4

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
What do I do to water proof?
It poured last night and our back yard flooded which sent water pouring in under the back door. I need to get it weather proofed brfore the next storm. Also we discovered cracks between the blocks in the wall that let water in the house, how do I seal these???

Answer 5

In order to do it right and not have to worry again (for some time at least) is to dig all around the foundation and install a vapor barrier around the whole house. Then seal the interior of your basement with some sort of concrete water sealer. If you just use the sealer, you are not stopping the water from penetrating the foundation. You are only stopping it from seeping into the house, the concrete end up deteriorating over time.

Answer 6

On going through your problem I would suggest you to cover your house with rain water shade and arrange a duck for water to go towards low level and it should not entered in your back door.Do not go for any water proof paints etc as they are temporary measures.Good Luck Dear.

Answer 7

First dig a trench that will lead the water around your house. If you have pavement uphill and water is pouring down it to your house you will have to sandbag temporarilly and consider a permanent wall. Water flows downhill. You must conduct it around your house. In time you can get a french drain constructed. That is a ditch filled with material which lets water drain through it. You need to check your house foundation to see if it is settling causing the cracks.

Answer 8

We dug down around the foundation about 6 feet and then sealed all the walls with the sealer, added about 2 ft of gravel and then filled it back up with dirt and made sure the dirt sloped away from the foundation..

If the cracks are huge, the wall might need to be tuckpointed.

You should also make sure your downspouts aren't clogged and that they end at least 4 ft from the foundation.

You can also paint the inside of the walls with waterproofing paint - sorry can't remember the brand name - to help as well.

Answer 9

1. Caulk cracks around windows and doors to prevent water from seeping inside. Check old caulk every year for chips and cracks, which indicates the caulk has dried out and needs replacement.

2. Check trees in your yard and remove any dead branches, which could fall during heavy rain and cause damage.

3. Remove leaves, branches and debris from gutters and drains. Otherwise, water could overflow and rot the woodwork around the roof area.

4. Plug sewer traps with check valves - special valves that direct water in one direction only - thereby preventing it from backing up into your home. You can purchase these at a hardware store, or improvise by using large corks or stoppers to plug sinks and tubs in an emergency.

5. Lower the water level in your swimming pool, so it is less likely to overflow during heavy rain. The chlorinated pool water can be harmful to your grass.

6. Turn off automated sprinkler systems when rain is expected.

7. Stock up on sand and sandbags to fill in low areas around your home. Some local fire stations provide sandbags to residents during the rainy season.

8. Have a flashlight, batteries and a first aid kit on hand, in case you get stranded in your home.

9. Ask your local planning and zoning office whether your property is above or below the flood level, and find out if your area has a history of flooding.

10. Keep important documents - including insurance policies, birth certificates and passports - in an easily accessible waterproof box.

11. Protect basement walls by sealing them with a cement or concrete sealer.

12. Know how to turn your electricity off in the event your house gets flooded. Make sure not to turn it back on until everything has dried out.

Answer 10

There is no caulking gun big enough to fight gravity.

You need to redirect the water away from your foundation...a few of the other commenters made this point and I agree.

French drains are ditches that you fill with stones. These form low points that redirect water around your door or entire house to low drainage points elsewhere.

Get to know the soil around your house - is it rocky? Uh oh.

You may need a backhoe to get this work done, so plan carefully. Or you can hire ditch diggers. Depends.

But don't do the caulk thing...that's really low rent and it will screw up your house even more.

Answer 11

Water continually running around a house will eventually ruin the foundation. A quick fix would be to caulk the cracks. You can buy cement caulk or gutter/seam sealer at any hardware store. But your house is too low in relation to the yard. You could raise the house, but that is expensive. The other option is to dig around the house all the way down to the foundation and fill the cracks with cauld, then tar the walls, put in drain tile and a sump pump, and cover it back up. You could try hydraulic cement to seal the cracks and tar over that. Much cheaper. It comes in powder form. Just mix with water and stuff it in the cracks with a putty/drywall knife, then tar over it. Or sell the house and buy a better one!