This is a 2 story brick colonial. Walk up 3 steps to the front door. There is a wood frame around the front door with a metal cap on top.
During a hard rain, water pours down the front door, down through the door frame and into a small basement room below the stoop.
The cement stoop and area where it is joined to the house appear to be completely intact. The rest of the basement is completely dry except for this little room under the porch.
The walls and rest of the ceiling of the little basement room are completely dry, as is the rest of the basement...?
Please advise. Thanks (Pittsburgh, PA)

hey Sherie,

Block basement wall or poured?

run a hose/water UNDER the door-on the steps etc. let it run/soak that area for UP to 45 minutes or until you begin to see water in basement room. IF ya DO get water in then at LEAST PART, if not ALL of the problem is BELOW the steps/below ground.

But, if you do NOT get ANY water in THEN, run the hose/water AROUND the threshold and see if ya get water down there in basement, if NOT then, run-soak the a lil higher up around rest of door. Your going to get water in so, be ready, have towels or whatever.

Just have a lil pateince when doing this, do one area at a time, isolate watering each area and have someone in basement constantly while your doing-the-hose-thing.

You MAY have only ONE problem area/opening OR, you MAY have 2++ so its best to find them ALL!

Block or poured basement wall plz?

It's a block basement.
I'm thankful for the instructions & the time you took to help. I'll do as you say. It makes good sense. Thanks

yw Sherie

Hi,
The water is coming in between the stoop and the house at the space filled in with cement caulk.
The caulk looks and feels solid, no gaps or soft areas, but water came in within 5 minutes of hosing it down.
I'd really appreciate any suggestions!
Thanks,
Sherie

Depending on the width of the gap that's now filled with "cement caulk", it could be that the wrong "caulk" was used. It should be soft, not firm, and it should be flexible, so that it can accomodate relative movement between the stoop and the basemment wall. Or else, the gap should be flashed to direct rain water away from it, but it's probably too late for that.

There may be hairline cracks where the "cement caulk" meets both stoop and wall. If cement mortar was used to seal the gap, it's almost a certainty.

The cure is something else again, and without seeing the actual conditions, it's hard to recommend a cure. I know that's no help, but neither would be a wild guess.

That makes good sense to me. At least I know where to start. Thanks for taking the time to answer. S