Bsmt Waterproofing

Originally Posted By: roconnor
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Hi Mark … my comments are not from a book, but from over 20 years of experience evaluating and designing residential and commercial buildings and foundation repairs. So I guess we will just have to agree to disagree.


Typical residential foundations are not designed or intended to be completely watertight. There is typically no reinforcement to limit crack widths, control joints and special concrete mixes to limit shrinkage cracking, waterstops at joints, or exterior waterproofing (usually only damproofing). Some minor water penetration is to be expected, and that is very difficult to completely eliminate once the foundations are constructed. So some degree of minor water penetration is expected with residential foundations.

Problems typically occur when that water penetration becomes excessive, and in my experience is indeed usually related to poor roof and surface drainage. That does not mean it's always the case, and needs to be evaluated on an individual basis and the clients expectations about the degree of watertightness of the foundations. If they want a basement that will be near bone dry they will spend quite a bit of money.

Just my opinion and 2-nickels ... ![icon_wink.gif](upload://ssT9V5t45yjlgXqiFRXL04eXtqw.gif)


--
Robert O'Connor, PE
Eagle Engineering ?
Eagle Eye Inspections ?
NACHI Education Committee

I am absolutely amazed sometimes by how much thought goes into doing things wrong

Originally Posted By: dvalley
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Robert,


Why bother?


--
David Valley
MAB Member

Massachusetts Certified Home Inspections
http://www.masscertified.com

"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go."

Originally Posted By: jwortham
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Would have liked to have read his posts. Looks like theres some nuggets of info in there that’s usable.


But one long run-on paragraph after another hurts just to look at let alone actually read.


Originally Posted By: mkober
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Amen.



Michael J. Kober, P.E. and H.I.


"NACHI Member and Proud Of It!"

Originally Posted By: Mark Anderson
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The Real reasons basements leak

Originally Posted By: Mark Anderson
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The Real reasons basements leak

Originally Posted By: jbehling
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Mark Anderson wrote:
sorry Jeff...good info is good info in any form. lolol..hurts just to look at eh? Ha! try hand digging an entire 30' x 6' deep wall,sealing it correctly, then backfilling it and making the job site look like we werent even there,everything done by hand in 1 day...day after day....and ea. day coming home with 15-25 calls to return when your already pretty beat and setting up the next days job and then going out and running estimates till dark and all day Sat and 1/2 of Sunday. Talk about hurt?


Where do you find the time to post here? ![icon_wink.gif](upload://ssT9V5t45yjlgXqiFRXL04eXtqw.gif)


Originally Posted By: Mark Anderson
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The Real reasons basements leak

Originally Posted By: Mark Anderson
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The Real reasons basements leak

Originally Posted By: roconnor
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dvalley wrote:
Robert, Why bother?

Easy Dave. Even though I disagree with Mark about some general principals, and he needs help with paragraphs ... ![icon_lol.gif](upload://zEgbBCXRskkCTwEux7Bi20ZySza.gif) ... my read is he has some good practical experience and some valid points about foundation repair methods and sources of leaks.

Mark ... what are your thoughts on urethane injection of cracks. I have called that out as a non-structural repair method instead of excavation and exterior sealing, and it has worked very well. If you havent used that method, in my opinion it is worth looking into for any foundation repair contractor.

Just my opinion and 2-nickels ...


--
Robert O'Connor, PE
Eagle Engineering ?
Eagle Eye Inspections ?
NACHI Education Committee

I am absolutely amazed sometimes by how much thought goes into doing things wrong

Originally Posted By: aslimack
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Mark,


Not really sure how you accessed "Members only", as you appear to be listed as a non-member, but you may want to watch what you post outside of the "Members only section."

Adam, A Plus


Originally Posted By: Mark Anderson
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The Real reasons basements leak

Originally Posted By: mkober
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Robert,


WRT your question on urethane injection of cracks: could be a viable solution for sealing cracks in solid concrete walls, but I’m guessing block walls could present some problems. Back in my bridge-repairing days, we often used urethane to lift approach slabs that weighed as much as 60,000 pounds. Injected into a block cell, the stuff could easily blow the block. Like everything, having someone who knows what he’s doing and who knows his product is critical. At the risk of setting Mark off again, I can say that I’ve successfully used (very) low-modulus epoxy for injection of small-movement cracks (verified by extensometers first) without new cracks developing elsewhere.



Michael J. Kober, P.E. and H.I.


"NACHI Member and Proud Of It!"

Originally Posted By: Mark Anderson
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MK…i can and am speaking only of waterproofing a crack in a bsmt wall and other openings in a bsmt wall such as around a gas line…where it enters through the bsmt wall below ground(on some homes),waterproofing part of or at times all of a bsmt wall. Others openings on the outside of a basement wall can be through small imperfections at the isolation joint or small pin holes(not rod holes) along a seam, the brick ledge,under a basement sill or door sill,where sprinkler lines enter a wall and sometimes an electric line for garages…instead of running it into the basement above ground level they run `em through the wall below ground and dont seal around the line…and so on. There are many times where a wall is being pushed in from roots from trees and even large bushes, some of these roots plow their way right in through a wall.


http://www.wbay.com/Global/story.asp?S=1797522

"We have found over time the urethane shrinks and the crack leaks again".....ummmmmm....now what? ![icon_lol.gif](upload://zEgbBCXRskkCTwEux7Bi20ZySza.gif)


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The Real reasons basements leak

Originally Posted By: aslimack
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“Its always better to get any n all pressure off the outside of a basement wall.” This is why i always recommend a properly maintained gutter and downspout, w/extensions system and exterior grading.


Adam, A Plus


Originally Posted By: Mark Anderson
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The Real reasons basements leak

Originally Posted By: roconnor
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For basement leaks caused by hydrostatic pressure, exterior waterproofing is a viable option. But the slab and joints at the walls/footings are problematic, and typical residential foundations are not designed with enough strength to handle that extra pressure. So in those cases installation of supplementary wall supports and/or an underdrain/sump system to relieve pressure is often required.


But around my neck of the woods hydrostatic pressure is usually not the cause of most basement leaks and water penetration. In those cases, correcting roof and surface drainage (possibly including drywells and surface barriers), and using various interior repair methods if often a very viable and cost effective solution if done right.

We could debate repair methods till the cows come home, but the bottom line is each case must be looked at individually to identify the problem and come up with appropriate and cost effective repair solutions, that meets the clients expectations. Blanket statements/positions just don't work, and can get an HI in trouble.

Just my opinion and 2-nickels from experience ... ![icon_wink.gif](upload://ssT9V5t45yjlgXqiFRXL04eXtqw.gif)


--
Robert O'Connor, PE
Eagle Engineering ?
Eagle Eye Inspections ?
NACHI Education Committee

I am absolutely amazed sometimes by how much thought goes into doing things wrong

Originally Posted By: roconnor
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Mark … In my opinion sump pumps with underdrain systems can help relieve (but not eliminate) water pressure on walls in certain seasonal groundwater situations … but not with the low-end sump pumps, and not for “bathtub” foundations. It has to be carefully evaluated and designed, and consideration given to the fact that sump pumps do fail.



Robert O’Connor, PE


Eagle Engineering ?


Eagle Eye Inspections ?


NACHI Education Committee


I am absolutely amazed sometimes by how much thought goes into doing things wrong

Originally Posted By: roconnor
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… and injection methods for repairing cracks … CLICK HERE



Robert O’Connor, PE


Eagle Engineering ?


Eagle Eye Inspections ?


NACHI Education Committee


I am absolutely amazed sometimes by how much thought goes into doing things wrong

Originally Posted By: chorne
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Hey Mark,


Are you bored?

Carla