basement getting water thru walls how do we go about sealing them and getting rid of the smell thanks?

Answer 1

.You did not give me much to go on …. Wall construction materials …. Where the water is coming in at … how much water is coming in … so I’ll make a few assumptions.

Short term … very short term you can use masonry paint that contains Portland cement. UGL makes several paint.

You can use a “water plug putty” or silicone based caulk if it comes in through holes or cracks. Again, it’s a short term fix.

Long term …. Grab your check book ….. break out the cement floor all the way around the basement about 12” back from the walls. Dig down to the bottom of the footer. Lay in a bed of pea gravel. Line the wall with 4” slotted drain tile sloping downward to a sump pit. Affix plastic sheeting to the basement walls from ground level to below the basement floor. Fill with gravel to bottom of basement floor and pour concrete to floor level. It will never be wet again.

Drains around the outside of the house are much more expensive and are destined to fail in years to come.

Always run a humidifier and clean exposed area with hot water, detergent, and bleach.

Answer 2

If you want a permanent fix, you'll need to excavate the ground around the outside of the basement. Make sure you have a good application of a coal tar epoxy around the outside surface of the basement. If you see any standing water when you dig, you'll need to install a drainage system around the house to try to get the water away from the foundation. Backfill and be sure you slope all the ground away from the house. Inside, you can try caulking the joints of the house between the floor slab and the walls, then apply a good coating of Dry Lock or similar product.
If you still have water coming into your basement, you may need to install a drain and sump pump system on the interior of the house.
Once you get the walls dried up, the smell should go away.

Answer 3

Hate to say it but the other two gentleman before me are right. Just painting the inside of the walls with a water sealant will not fix your overall problem. good Luck