Last winter i bought a bag of rock salt for my driveway/walk, and it sat there in my basement and its created some sort of artesian spring in my basement. I tried using a dehumidifier, but i have had it running for about a week now and the water still keeps on trickling out of my floor. Anyone have any ideas of how i can stop it!? Heeeelp! Thanks!
2007-07-16 09:59:41 · 4 answers · asked by EAT! 3 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
No, i am not joking. serious.
2007-07-16 10:19:05 · update #1
Yeah, salt will do that alright; it attracts water like a magnet. But you've got more than that going on here. (I assume the salt is out of there now).
I'm voting for "hydrostatic pressure," which is caued when a volume of trapped water finds the easiest way to move -and it is often through concrete. The rock salt may have primed the pump, but until you find the source of the water, you're going to be "in the path."
Has it rained a lot within the past few weeks? Where does the water from your downspouts go? These are the usual suspects, but it could also be a broken sewage or water line under the floor.
It may be time to call in a specialist who can inspect nearby sewer lines with a camera, inject dye in various places and use "ultasound" to get a profile of what's under the floor. The end result could be a sump dug into that area, in which a pump periodically draws of the water before it gets to floor level. It is unlikely that "miracle" coatings will work, but wirth a call to a waterproofing specialty contractor.
Time may also work in your favor. If you can tolerate the natural spring for another month and keep the dehumdifier going, the water source may recede.
But it will come back.
Ugly problem.
2007-07-16 10:58:06 · answer #1 · answered by JSGeare 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The salt was in a sealed bag? Is there damage to the floor - other than the water coming up? That is really odd! Have you tried using a desiccant?
2007-07-16 11:32:56 · answer #2 · answered by noonecanne 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wow, is this a joke or can rock salt really do that?
2007-07-16 10:08:04 · answer #3 · answered by chfbupers 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
SORRY BUT I HAVE TO SAY I PEED MYSELF LAUGHING AT THAT!!!!! and the worst part is i dont know why!!, im in one of those moods!!!
2007-07-16 10:14:22 · answer #4 · answered by mythbusters 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋