No, i`m sorry i do not but that doesn`t mean you won`t find one. We recently got back from doing a job in Clearfield PA, cool small town, where in PA are you?
Poured wall w/ 2 hairline cracks `n house less than 1 year old. Let me ask you, are they vertical or diagonal? Do they run entire length of wall or are they 1-3' long and appear to stop? Cracks could be from shrinkage OR could be from the soil that was backfilled against walls compacting-settling in this amount of time.
If it`s shrinkage then they should NOT get worse. On the other hand, if its from the weight of the soil that has compacted-settled and, most likely will still settle a bit more in coming months, they`ll probably widen a lil more.
Sometimes cracks can occur just from the 'weight of equipment' being used near a wall/house.Sometimes cracks occur from dumping heavy soil against a wall and others.
Thing about injections from inside to me is, yes, some can work/last for awhile. From what we`ve seen over the years, its about 50-60% likelihood they can last for awhile IF....the injection is done correctly AND the basement wall(s) does NOT experience future lateral-hydrostatic soil pressure. So if they backfilled w/sand there shouldn`t be much pressure. Also, one has to factor in any tree roots that could cause problems in future. This is why some injections do not and will not last.
Many- not all builders like the injections `cos it 'might' last for awhile like i say, or at least long enough to cover their rumps, ya know? And, its much easier & quicker & less costly to do an injection...vs.. to hand-dig to footing, haul soil away,waterproof and backfill w/gravel is Much harder and takes longer `n costs more but, lolol, is Best for the crack/wall.
I`m a long way from ya but i doubt its condensation, if it was, you should SEE more condensation/moisture/dampness etc on walls in 'other' areas, do ya?
Posts: 710 | Location: Michigan | Registered: 24 August 2005
LWP I need to hire you, but I'm in Portland, OR. Do you have any leads for a basement contractor in my area? I've looked around a bit, and am only finding the latest, greatest in "waterproofing" technology...
Thanks for your response. There are two areas where we have seen this dampness. We are in a townhouse (not an end unit). The houses are staggered in such a way that my home extends beyond my neighbors home by approx. 3 feet. This means that my daylight basement only has a back wall and 3 feet of a side wall with exterior exposure. The basement sits behind my garage, if you can picture that.
Area 1: This is located on the side wall with some exterior exposure, but occurs just far enough in, that you really couldn't get to it from the outside. The crack is narrow and extends from the floor to the top of the wall which is approx. 5 feet high at that point. I'd call in vertical. There is a sump pump nearby that never gets any water in it. (My neighbors' sumps don't either). The builder has dug down to the footer and applied more "rubber wall", but it hasn't helped. The odd thing about this crack is that the moisture is visible from the floor up to about 16 inches, but in a sporadic fashion. Parts of the crack look wet, other parts in between aren't.
Area 2: We still need to investigate this one. It looks similar from what I can see, but is located behind the bat of fiberglass insulation that they nailed to our back wall. I know...not good to have moisture back there. There does appear to be a crack visible from the exterior that is aligned with this one.
There is not a pooling of water from either of these. The walls just look damp and seem to dry up pretty quickly. The last method that the builder mentioned involved wiping something on the cracks that penetrate the crack and seal it up. My confidence in them is not great. Digging outside should not be a tremendous effort since the basement isn't fully underground and really only involves a 14ft. long wall.
Any other comments or suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks, JBuzz
By the way...I'm in Downingtown, PA...a suburb of Philly.
I need some assistance from you or equiqualified person in the Pottstown, PA area. I just had Value Dry give me a 3100 contract i signed and deposited 20% i am now worried reading over your posts. Did i choose the right solution to my water problem. are they just bs'ing me putting in a drainage system in my basement leading to a sump pump.
Posts: 1 | Location: PA | Registered: 05 June 2006
I am about to install the Delta MS sheet on the concrete floor and I am wondering if there is a mildew and mould prevention I can apply first as a precaution against mould growing under the Delta MS. Does anyone know of something I can use? I read somewhere that a lime wash can be used, but I am not familiar with lime wash.
I am no expert but as far as I know, you would need something with Zinc in it to inhibit future growth. That is why in areas where mold grows on roofs they sometimes install pieces of galvanized metal near the top shingles, the rain washes the zinc down the rest of the roof to inhibit mold and mildew.
I know from a Chemical Class I took a few years ago that Bleach is a definite No-No as it MUST be rinsed thoroughly after using as a kill and most people use WAY Too much bleach to start... That is why people keep getting Mildew in their shower areas as the bleach is too stong of a mix and they don't rinse. The Mildew actually comes back to feed on the Chlorine Residue and keeps getting stronger.
area 1, you mentioned is not accessible from outside but you say the builder dug down & applied more rubber wall so, are you saying he re-did part of wall but not the crack?
And, did he backfill w/gravel?
Posts: 710 | Location: Michigan | Registered: 24 August 2005
there will be 2 listings, click both to view what BBB says. i`m not saying they`re terrible or great, i just wonder about number of complaints during last 36 months
Posts: 710 | Location: Michigan | Registered: 24 August 2005
says....bright wall waterproofing panels gives you a clean,bright and dry living area.
dry living area? if water/moisture is allowed to enter through cracks `n other openings from the outside then,how will it be a dry living area? I guess they mean....away from the basement wall huh
A wet/damp wall,water dripping behind the paneling hardly makes an ideal living area don`t ya think? Allowing water to continually enter can certainly create a perfect environment for mold. And what about efflorescence,radon gas,termites `n possibly any other insects who can wiggle they way into a basement through cracks `n other outside penetrations in the wall.
What about cracks in basement walls that can w i d e n due to expanding & contracting soil pressure, and tree roots. It`ll only allow that much more water to enter behind the paneling, and easier access for whatever wants to enter your basement.
they say....mold & mildew causes damp/musty smell and thrive in moist conditions.
then they say...dehumidification is the key but then say, of course any groundwater,plumbing or other leaks should be...fixed Fixed meaning, diverting the water that will continue to enter along the inside perimeter? lol,Thats not fixed, thats what an inside system does and more importantly, does not do.. Sure, humidity can be a factor but what is increasing the humidity level? Water,moisture,coming through the darn wall in many cases.
Geez, stop the water from entering will ya please. A dehumidifier is not going to stop/prevent mold from growing on basement walls when water is allowed to enter through the wall, its not gonna happen.Care to talk with some homeowners who have mold on walls due to water entering through cracks `n who run a dehumidifier 24/7?
this says....'if there is mold growth in your home, you must clean up the mold AND fix the water problem'.
and...'mold may begin growing indoors when mold spores land on surfaces that are wet.There are many types of mold, and none of them will grow without water or moisture'
what about first trying to increase ventilation,opening windows,running a fan etc
"molds can grow on many substances where moisture is present"
"look for signs of excess moisture or water damage...sometimes destructive techniques may be needed to inspect and clean enclosed spaces where mold and moisture are hidden,example, opening up a wall cavity"
-Clean up and removal-
"the most important step in solving a mold problem is to identify and correct the moisture sources that allowed the growth in the first place....flooding,condensation,movement through basement walls and slab etc"
Keep in mind that for the side wall pics, the part that is getting wet is from the floor up to approx. 16 inches. We got a ton of rain last weekend and I saw two small damp spots about four feet up the wall (definitely above grade) for the first time. I don't know if that means water is entering well above grade somewhere or not. When they dug down, they didn't see an exterior crack. They just put more of that green rubberwall stuff on and backfilled with the dirt they dug up. They only worked in that area and it didn't help. I don't know if our adjoining neighbor gets water because it's a model home with a finished basement. The sump is located close to this wall and never gets any water. Back wall behind insulation The area on the back wall is barely visible due to the insulation. They plan on tearing that down to investigate. When we got super heavy rain, that was the first time I noticed this. There is a crack outside aboive grade that looks like its in a similar location. They haven't dug down there at all yet.
Have been "chatting" with the wife about what we want to do with this mess-of-a-basement, or would have replied sooner.
LWP, I was about to do your 1-hour water hose test today to see if the problems were above or under ground, when I got a better look at the windows on the east side of the house (where the worst problems have been). Perhaps you can tell from the pictures below, but the base of both windows on the outside is below grade. Seems to me (let me know if I'm way off) that replacing the windows might be my first step, as the southernmost window at least has obvious cracks around it where water could easily get in.
My question is this--what can I do to keep water from coming in these windows? They're old, wooden, and were on our list of thigns to replace anyway, but with them being so close to the ground (and like I said, below grade from everything else around them), is there something that can be done to keep water away from them? How much would a window well in front of each do to help?
yep, lol, there sure are openings around both windows incl`g at edge of ledge and at edge of stone. have seen many folks get quite a bit of water in just from openings like that.
are they the only openings allowing water in? don`t know, replace windows and you`ll find out on next rain or two.if you like,try glass block, there several companies around here who charge about $49-59 per window(size shown in pics)if you replace 5 or 6 total.
another point of entry is often, right underneath the window ledge.i`m not a fan of window wells & cover
again, i`d go with glass block but whatever you choose, as they as they are put in right `n everything around window/ledge etc is sealed then 'that' part is solved. Hope thats all it was but,doesn`t mean there isn`t a crack etc in wall.
Posts: 710 | Location: Michigan | Registered: 24 August 2005
Ranch with daylight basement on sloped lot. Built in 1965. There are planters in front of the house, on opposite sides of the front door. My wife planted some stuff and has been watering every day. Wet carpet in the basement, on spot in the corner.
When we bought the place a year ago, we pulled all the flooring and actually had that wall in the basement worked on (cosmetically) and there was nothing visibly wrong with the concrete floor or the wall. I had sprayed water against the house while cleaning (there is brick fascia) and a waterspot appeared on the concrete floor right under the planter area that was wet. Dried quickly and hasn't recurred AFAIK. So this new occurrence against the same wall, but about 20 feet away appears to be the same mechanism.
I dug into the planter and there are 2 or 3 layers of cinderblock then a deeper level where it is set inward about 3 inches and covered with waterproofing paper? Backfilled with sand - all of which was saturated and we hadn't watered for ~48 hours prior to the dig. I didn't dig any deeper, my back was killing me. I got ~3ft deep.
Could it just be a drainage issue? Or is it more likely to be cracks on both sides of the house?
Thanks
quote:
Originally posted by LicensedWaterproofer: purveyor,
i`m sorry i don`t know any out west.
what kind of problem do you have? is it just one area of a wall....more? poured wall,block?
when you sprayed water against house `n a waterspot appeared in basement right under planter area, shows there is a opening(s) where you ran the water....either around those bricks(or around a window if you sprayed the window) and/or below, inside the box. we have seen openings inside a brick planter box that was built up against the house/wall.
yes, soil inside the planter can stay wet/moist even if it has weep holes.
again,fact that you got water in basement after spraying house means something is open-enough to allow water in when it rains or when you guys spray water there.Insects can enter through same opening(s).efflorescence/mold 'could' eventually occur.
if you like, try spraying/soaking these areas again, START at ground level first...at base of planter. Then Inside box....don`t wet bricks above, don`t wet any window or window ledge, see if you get waterspot. Let water run for same amount of time as you did before or even a lil longer. Start low and side to side then, 'slowly' work you way UP. Have someone inside basement watching for first-sign of any water....know what i mean?
Posts: 710 | Location: Michigan | Registered: 24 August 2005
Will do this weekend. Let me clarify, by planter I mean just dirt in front of the house at ground level in between the house and a concrete walking path. The brick on the house stops a few inches into the dirt at ground level - I'll spray there first...
1st para, as some understand, "many new buildings are either designed without consideration of air quality, or are constructed in ways that allow the intrusion of water, pests, and other air pollutant sources"
3rd paragraph.."...no amount of air cleaning is going to render a LEAKY moldy building acceptable for occupancy. The ONLY solution to continuing water problems is to find the cause, FIX it, and remove all existing growth...."
so, for any Inside company and their systems which often include a recommendation of buying and using their dehumidifers is bs, just more crap. Yes, its crap if they are trying to convince you that their dehumidifier is going to stop/prevent mold on bsmt walls due to water entering through the wall.
One needs to stop/prevent water from entering which is very often why mold grows on basement walls to begin with.
Inside drain tile and baseboard systems `n sumps can NOT stop/prevent water from Entering cracks & other openings on the outside. They merely keep most of the water that is STILL entering, off most of the basement floor.
Some homeowners who`ve had these inside systems installed and had cracks/other outside openings where water/moisture was entering, go ahead and look behind or pull off that sheeting some Inside companies put up against the inside of your basement wall(s), go ahead. NOTE: you could lose yer supposed lifetime warranty from some Inside companies by pulling off this sheeting.....Hmmmm. Is there something behind the sheeting they don`t want you to see/know? Yeah, in many cases, you bet.
I`ll bet most have one or more of the following... mold, mildew, paint peeling,efflorescence, insects, cracks widening, wall bowing in more, deterioration of hollow-block wall...especially around the last/bottom course. And approx. 1 outta 15 homes/basements will have MORE radon gas entering due to installing these inside systems and NOT sealing/waterproofing cracks `n other Outside Entryways....it`s your house.
....many, incl`g "Repair cracks in basement walls, moisture can seep in, creating a moist environment conducive to mold growth"....Notice they say "a dehumidifier should be used to reduce Indoor moisture levels during humid times of year"....this does not mean it will stop/prevent mold growth where water enters through cracks etc in basement walls.
Also see where they tell ya... IF you are using a dehumidifier to "regularly clean and EMPTY the drip pan"
scroll to -Dehumidifiers and Fans ....be sure to Empty the water from dehumidifier and clean it regularly. Water left in dehumidifiers allows mold to grow.
Fixed meaning, diverting the water that will continue to enter along the inside perimeter? lol,Thats not fixed, thats what an inside system does and more importantly, does not do.. Sure, humidity can be a factor but what is increasing the humidity level? Water,moisture,coming through the darn wall in many cases.