How do i fix the leak in my basement?

Question

i have a very leaky basement that looks like a waterfall everytime it rains, and i live in oregon so thats a lot. i have had a few people over and nobody knows what to do for it. does anybody know who i would contact in this type of situation?

this isnt no small little leak either, it will fill up my basement with 3 feet of water in a 1 hour time period. and i have tried a plumber and that hasn't worked out to well because they dont deal with these kind of issues.

and on the outside of the wall is 4 concrete steps so i have to work around that and a deck with pipes connecting to a hot tub.

it is coming for a hole by the concrete steps

which is from the wall

Answer 1

I also live in Oregon and the proper way to fix problems like this is something called a "french drain". You mentioned that you have a 'hole by the concrete steps". If this was the ONLY problem then you could see about rerouting the water from that point to another by digging a trench where the stream starts and then have it diverted away from where it is going into the ground. But I venture a guess that you have a spring near your foundation and the water is really coming from it. When it rains, the spring is active and your foundation can't handle the water - hence you get the waterfall.

Step 1 - invest in a submercible pump (if you haven't already). Some people in Oregon can never get rid of the water and simply have a three foot home dug in their foundation and the pump sits in this hole. When water fills the hole it immediately begins pumping the water out a hose to a place you decide.

Step 2 - look in the phone book for a company that does excavations and ask if they install French drains. A proper French drain would be dug outside your house and would be deep enough that whatever water level the water is running at (where the spring is) - in my case about 4 feet down - a perforated pipe is put in, then it is filled with gravel and the water is re-reouted away from your basement. They can deal with the problems of steps, landscaping, etc.

Step 3 - check with your homeowners insurance (or ask your landloard to do it). If this leak wasn't "always" there then the repairs may be covered by insurance. The longer you wait, the harder this will be to prove. And if it was there when you purchased the house but you weren't told of the problem, ask a realtor about non-disclosure.

Hope this helps. The other answers are helpful, but no one mentioned the key phrase - french drain!

Answer 2

There are a few things that should be addressed prior to digging up the perimeter of the foundation (which can be very costly - $10,000 or more).

Do you have gutters on the eaves? If so, do the downspouts extend far enough to expel the water? If not, install them asap. Does the surrounding landscaping allow the water to run away from the foundation, or does it run back towards the house? If so, contact a landscape pro to remedy for adequate drainage.

Other things to consider are the effects on the interior. Is this water easily evacuated and is the basement allowed to adequately dry out? Mold problems could become an issue. Dry the basement and finish the walls with a masonry sealer/water proofing material.

Have these items looked at and/or addressed before committing to costly repairs that may not e necessary. Hope this helps.

Answer 3

u arent telling us where it is leaking in from exactly..the walls themselves or coming up from the floor, or down from those concrete steps. anyhow, if its the walls, u can parge them(coat with thin layer of concrete), u can use a water based sealant, u paint it on, it seals into cracks and seals up pourose concrete. If its the florr, u can dig around perimeter of basement , leting water run to lowest part of basement, and use a sump pump. if its from stairs, make sure door to basment has good tight seal, and get a exterior cover to cover steps, to detour rain water. u might want o check ur yard to, to c if water is draining towrds the house instead of away. in that case, u may want to get a trench dug, and put in a perferated pipe, and drain the water away from house

Answer 4

sounds like it will be more effective to end the water before it receives in....dig around the footing on the outdoors, put in a water barrier and some drainage pipe to keep water from boost adversarial on your basement walls. once you backfill the ditch you purely made round your position, slope the airborne dirt and dust far out of your position to keep a good type of the water from seeping in good on the sting of your initiating. it will be more inexpensive, yet i do not comprehend. Sorry i visit't be extra help on the fee.

Answer 5

contact a masonary or concrete person, land scaper to dig up around it. or who ever can. they will re-seal it with a rap or a liquid type deal, the rap is the way to go. rap under ground and seal above gorund. try the seal first above ground and see if that work if it dont start diggen

Answer 6

I have a similar problem. I think I am going to get someone in to give me an
estimate to seal it. I will consider the cost and then see if I can afford it. I
know it is slightly unethical but I might consider doing whatever he suggests
on his estimate, myself. Do you think I might be creating some bad karma
by doing that? Sorry, I got confused for a minute.....this is your question.

Answer 7

dig a trench on the outside, seal wall on both sides, file the trench with concrete

Answer 8

befor i let u know what i think u should know ima smart alike i say use ducttape it fixes everything it seems like

Answer 9

ok step one.............................................





FIND A YELLOW PAGES..................................



STEP 2...........................................................





CALL A PLUMBER.....................................................


STEP 3 .......................................................................



DO NOTHING BUT WATCH HIM FIX IT...............................



as easy as 1, 2 , 3!!!