Basement Waterproofing

[r8ingbull]

Hi All,

I'm looking for a few opinions on a basement water problem I have been dealing with.  I've been given two options to fix it.  Basement is 24'x40' block built in 1952.  Two sides are walkout and two sides are below grade.  Option one is to dig down to the footings on the 40' side and install drains and back fill with pea stone.  Option two is pour a 8' wide concrete apron/patio on the 40' side.  Option one is $5200, option two is $600...

Water only comes in at two spots along the 40' wall.  The ground is graded away.  House is located on top of a large hill.  Grade drops off 2-4' within 20' all around the house.  Gutters have been installed as well. very heavy clay soil.

Option two is looking good.  The cost is right, plus I could use the area as a dog run or patio.

so what do you think?

[John Raabe]

Option one (don't forget to install a good membrane on the outside of the wall prior to backfilling) is most likely a sure cure - at least for that side of the basement.

Option two might work if the "brim of the cap" - the sloped and waterpoofed slab - actually stops the same water that is getting the wall wet now. What you can have but don't know for sure is water moving through the soil or a source of hydrostatic pressure from higher up slope perhaps.

If you are on the high point of land and the ground slopes away into well drained soil on all sides then the Option Two solution is more likely to work.

[glenn kangiser]

Read up on this also.

http://www.sanitred.com/

[Redoverfarm]

r8ingbull just my take on your conversation.  If the water seems to penetrate your basement just when you have had heavy rains then the apron would work.  But if the water is getting in there all the time then IMO it will not.

[r8ingbull]

It is just the huge rainstorms that cause problems.  We had 3+ inches of rain in an hour this week.  I had maybe 1 gallon of water enter the basement.

My plan now is to do the concrete apron, sloped away from the house.  I think I will build a modified french drain to catch the run off from the apron and direct it down hill.

Any one have ideas for flashing between the house and the apron, or just caulk it? 

[PA-Builder]

Before investing in the concrete, with unknown results, why not put some heavy poly down and cover with a light layer of stone.  That should give you the same effect as the concrete.  If that doesn't stop the water, then I doubt the concrete would have either.  Just a suggestion.  Good luck !