Is water in the cellar necessarily a bad thing?

Question

I live in Upstate New York and we had a sudden thaw 2 weeks ago. Three feet of snow melted in 3 days. This is the first time I've seen standing water in my cellar. I have no sump pump, but there's a hole in the center of the poured concrete floor that goes directly into the sewer line so water can drain off. It has somewhat abated now, but there are still very damp spots on the concrete. The water looks like it's coming in right where the floor joins the stonework wall (the house was built around 1900).

I've had three contractors come and give me estimates, the least expensive was for $1000 and they just spray some sealant chemical on the cellar walls and floor where the damp spots are. The most expensive was $14,000 and was to install some sort of drainage system around the entire interior perimeter along with a sump pump. The other alternative is to do nothing, but will a damp cellar eventually weaken the house's structure?

Answer 1

Water in the basement is not good. It means that you'd have a greater chance of mold and mildew, if nothing else. I'd go down there and mop everything with a strong bleach solution now, before it gets a chance to grow any further.

I think the sprayon sealant is a waste of money. I'd pass on that fix. The drainage system for $14,000 is a retrofit of what any modern house would have installed automatically. It's not cheap, but it *would* fix the problem.

If it was my house, I guess I'd want to know a little more information. Does the basement flood every year? How deep is the water? If it's more than an inch or so, I'd be concerned.

Do you use the basement for anything besides storage? Even if the boxes and whatever are up on shelves, the moisture will affect them and let them get mold or mildew. If you want to finish the basement, or part of it, this *WILL* have to be fixed first.

If the furnace or water heater are there, they may be affected as well.

Call a home inspector or two, and talk to them. You will probably have to pay them to come look at the house, and check for foundation damage. You need to find someone who has experience in home repair, but isn't there to sell you the repairs, so that you get an objective opinion. If you know anyone who is a real estate agent, they should be able to refer you to a reputable inspector.

Answer 2

Ditto everything Ralph said. Water in the basement is never a good thing. Oops, Ralfcode.