Hello-
My home was built in the 50's. I get water in the basement that appears to be coming from the cold joint. It is a block wall so my guess is there are exterior cracks allowing water into the blocks then running down and creeping out the cold joint. It is in one section of the basement on a corner. It creeps in the length of about 2 feet to the left of the corner and 4-5 feet to the right of the corner. To my knowledge the exterior has never been treated other than at time of the foundation build. There is a gutter and leadr @ that corner of the house. I diverted the water from that leader further away from the home and that has helped reduce the amount of water during heavy rains but has not eliminated it. So now I am preparing to dig the outside down to the footings 10 feet off the corner to the right and 5-6 feet of the corner to the left to provide substantial overlap to assure a good seal.

I was going to use aquaseal-ecoflex(http://www.aquasealusa.com/)to reseal with after using hydraulic cement to patch any cracks and loose/deteriorated mortar joints. If there is existing waterproof compound of any sort on the wall does it need to be chemically removed first or can I go right over it?
I was going to hand dig but of course using a small backhoe would be faster what would be the cons of going this route?
If ther is existing draintile should it be replaced with rigid pvc because I am in there?
If I backfill with peagravel what is the increased pressure on the block wall especially @ the footing if the dig is tapered? Is there any concern that comes with that increased pressure on a 50yr old home?(note:no current bowing in walls)
If the problem is @ the footing and I fill with peagravel won't that allow the water to get there quicker and increase the flow of water into the basement?
Are there any special considerations to take into account with a built in gunite pool 14 feet off the foundation wall?
Is there any product that can be sprayed into the blocks to fill them that would be safe and beneficial to create a more sound/solid wall with an added r value?
Lastly should I apply foamboard over the exterior coating? Would this create increased r walue or just create an enviorment for critters to harbor and create their homes?
Thank you in advance.

Joker,

To be sure part-all of problem is the outside of the block wall, if you like, you can do a water test with a hose. Run the hose near full blast aimed at wall, a few inches away from wall. Don`t let water wet/soak anything above ground.

Much more often than not, the problem/crack is on outside of wall but there are times when part-all of water that eventually comes in onto floor along cold joint, is entering Through Above ground openings..mortar joints,basement windows etc etc.

Anyway, when running the hose, allow it to run up to about 45 minutes or until you begin to see/get water in. IF you do then proceed w/waterproofing that area. IF you don`t get water in then the problem(s) will either be above ground opening(s) or, a blockage under the floor that can often be freed by snaking storm trap. A sump(s)...not an inside drain tile or baseboard system, will most likely be needed if no storm trap/no access under floor.

aquaseal i/we/many of us up here do not/have not used.so, if there is anything on the outside of the wall, which i doubt but never know for sure, you may need to take it off, check with aquaseal on that.

using a small backhoe is your call
there are times when using equipment near a basement wall can crack a wall, the weight causes an underground surcharge pressure which is transmitted to wall. read all of this but check "Careful on the Construction Site"..last para.. http://www.bobvila.com/HowTo_Library/Why_Foundations_Fa...oundation-A2095.html

just be certain where any-all underground and overhead lines are/exist

if there is drain tile which there should be,never know-didn`t build em lol, IF they are broke,brittle etc then yes, you should replace and rig-pvc should be fine. Its much better than plastic perforated tile. But if ya have clay tile and they are in good shape then, if it were me, i`d leave em in.

Peastone/gravel/sand apply the LEAST amount of lateral pressure! Check that Bob Vila article, first few paragraphs and read 6th para here http://www.yodergroup.com/concrete.asp

If there is a crack it`ll almost always be at-near the corners, sometimes it`ll be only 1 corner and others it`ll be both corners. Sometimes there can be a cracked-footing and no, the peastone will not cause a problem. Lets put it this way, it Never has in 28 years for us, just use hydraulic cement in `n over it and apply tar,asphalt or whatever your using. The peastone won`t allow water to sit up against the wall like it does when there is soil/clay against a wall, know what i mean?

Pool, yeah, lol, always be careful when Anything is near where yer digging.No, i wouldn`t put anything into the blocks but you can if ya like

No again on the foamboard, not us anyway but you could if ya like.

Thanks for the prompt response. I have done the hose test to assure the problem is below grade, and unfortunately it is. What would be the recommended product to reseal that could go over existing tar? (if there is any.)
Do I have to worry about any settling of the peagravel/crushed stone. Should I compact it as I fill?

Thanks Again

I am far from an expert in foundation waterproofing, but I know of one instance where there was a leak and a basement apartment took on water in one room. The problem was cured by digging down to the footing, brushing a good thick coat of bituminous dampproofing right over the old black stuff, and then adhering waterproofing shingle underlayment, sometimes called "ice and water shield" (usually used in roofing) to the cured dampproofing, right down and over the footing top and ending on the side of the footing.

However, I'm sure the experts will weigh in.

I think stone or gravel fill is pretty much self-compacting, and would only settle if the earth around it gave way somehow. I know that soils engineers recommended filling under the footings for a multi-story office building with 2 1/2-inch crushed stone, with no compaction, and the building is about 15 years old with no apparent movement or cracking. Imagine filling a drinking glass with marbles and trying to compact them...the glass would burst before the marbles settled.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Richard Hetzel,

joker,

sorry, was o t t.

the stone may settle a lil bit, nothing like sand-others soils will. if you like, you can hurry-up-some of the settling process by running a hose/water through the stone

we use Alco and Dewitt roofing cement/asphalt `n a 6 mil visqueen

The Dewitt plastic roof cement or Modified Bitumen Adhesive will work? And visqueen is that also poly sheeting?

Thanks Again

Thanks Rich I like the marble/glass analogy that makes sense.

joker,

yes, polyethylene, use 6 mil

yep, Dewitts or Alco

remember, when the crack(s) or other openings in bsmt wall are sealed/patched w/hydraulic cement on outside, then the leak/problem is solved.

the asphalt is applied to ALL of the excavated wall area as kind of an extra insurance for the crack(s)etc. Visqueen protects the hyd cement and asphalt when backfilling, thats its use.