Leaky basement and some tell homeowners to raise and slope the grade???

Specific Inspection Topics Structural Inspections
41

Dan,

I also have extensive experience in underground construction. It has been my experience that poured foundation walls should never leak, unless cracked or have openings around pipe penetrations. If these two things are not present, then water infiltration cannot happen. In fact concrete ships have been made that actually float. The biggest problem with water accumulating around the foundation deals with possible settlement issues due to water saturated soil. As inspectors, the settlement problems that can occur should be what we are reporting and not water infiltration issue’s into interior spaces. So, obviously, when water is found leaking into the home, the call should be to water proof and any indication of foundation movement should be a call to correct water accumulation around the foundation. Two different animals in my book.

42

Mr. Mike,

Hope you and your family are doing well man. How’s business?
And have a dang good Thanksgiving Mr. B, and others here.

Another PRIME example of how interior basement system companies and their systems and sump pumps do not fix, repair,waterproof most homeowners actual-existing problems. And since they don’t stop the water from where it’s entering their systems cannot stop-prevent mold, efflorescence, wall discolorment on inside walls… duh umm, that’s why they will often cover part or all of the inside wall with some sort of sheeting, uh huh.
Chesterfield MI… not too far away from Mr. Bazzo i believe.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mRwe741WLw …go FULL SCREEN on these videos, sheeesh!
This homeowner already paid $$$ for an interior basement system that did not fix/waterproof ANY of the existing problems which were why 'n where the water was getting in.

Also see the multiple openings/gaps/voids around, under the garage and, front porch.

Same house, outside but a close-up view of the cracks etc

Same house, inside the basement… see the corner, wall.


See the basement wall, see the corner? Was just painted before we did the job but, this is vaguely important… important for HI’s as well (but they don’t seem to care), look at the basement wall, inside.

You do not, you would not (prior to the paint) have seen any vertical. or step crack on the inside.
BUTTTTTTTTTTT, that… does not ever mean there aren’t 1 or more exterior cracks in the wall, as you can clearly friggin see in the first 2 videos above.

So when I hear a homeowner or a structural engineer or realtor or inside system company nitwit or a city inspector or home inspector say DUMB STUPID INCOMPETENT crap like, "Mark doesn’t know what he’s talking about, there is no crack, he’s full of it’ etc etc… it is any-all of THEM… who are full of it, obviously…jesus k–rist WATCH the videos! loool

I hear crap like that ALL the time, for 35+ years.
Home inspectors here telling me I’m lying about exterior cracks as you can clearly see in the videos, telling homeowners I’m full of it and that I say shtt like that just to get a job etc etc.

NO no no no… it’s some of you incompetent stinky terds you are indeed full of negligent. crap, yeppers.

Oh and, in the outside videos…NOTICE, the homeowners already twwwwwwwied tarring and caulking along the house/concrete… you can see that dumb shtt in videos as well.

Most homeowners that my azz have talked to who have leaky basements want the dang leak fixed, once and for all.

One more time, important… well lool, to some of us, NOT all home inspectors obviously but, again in the last video above, the video inside the basement… fairly often, not always… you will NOT see a crack when you look at the wall if the wall is block or brick. And since some HI’s do not want to understand this or don’t care to understand this then they recommend DUMB crap to unknowing homeowners such as… raise and slope the grade etc etc, yep.

Why the fk is it that, when we are done with these jobs…35++ years, the homeowners don’t leak? Why is that?
Gee, we didn’t re–grade, we didn’t add long downspout ext’s, we didn’t mudjack any slabs, never painted walls with Drylok etc etc, YET… nobody leaks. Hmmmmmmmmmm

43

The family is well, and so is business. Have a good TG yourself. By the way, you still in the great white north?

44

Any guesses why there’s mold and the interior of the main service panel is full of corrosion?

IMG.jpg
IMG.jpg2000×1500 512 KB

IMG_8327.jpg
IMG_8327.jpg2000×1500 357 KB

45

Mike …

In MY area many basements do not leak in light rains (even with small cracks or missing mortar in stone or block foundations) when grading, drainage and downspouts are aligned properly. BUT when it pours sheets of rain for several days in a row with NO drying time AND there are small cracks, missing / loose mortar, unsealed utility penetrations, soil up to the window edge in the window wells, no sump pump, poor or negative grading and drainage, downspouts missing or dropping at the base of the foundation, stopped up drain tiles, etc, etc … hydrostatic pressure OR other sources (like partly blocked or slow draining sewer lines) can allow water in from almost anywhere INCLUDING the joint where the wall meets the floor slab.

46

Mr. Dan,

On your inspections, when/if a seller has cracked mortar joints/bricks above grade, do you write 'em up and recommend they have them tuckpointed? They’re existing defects yes?

I’ll guess you do.

So what’s the diff when/if a seller has 1 or more cracks in their poured or block basement walls? They’re existing defects…yes?

Just like if there was an existing defect in/on duh roof or I dunno, maybe a loose handrail on a porch… would those be existing defects that you’d write up and recommend the homeowner get fixed/repaired?

Raising and sloping the grade away is NOT a repair.

7 1/2 mile long downspout ext’s are not a repair.

Mudjacking a slab(s) where a homeowner has a leaky basement because there is an existing crack/defect in the basement wall is not a repair.

Painting a wall with Drylok etc when there is a crack/leak in the basement wall is not a repair.

Tuckpointing/patching a block or brick wall on the inside is not a repair if/when that wall has an exterior crack

If a homeowner was getting water out their chimney chute door in the basement would you recommend they just fill the chute door with cement or patch over the door?

Just like if a roof had exterior opeinngs/defects then, placing a tarp over those openings/problems would not be a repair.
Got MILK?

Mike, back in SCS since July

47

Bubba …

We report on and write up what in our opinion is the most logical solution. We also do expert witness for homeowners AND against sellers, builders, foundation or water-proofing contractors, and licensed engineers. Forgive me saying so but so far our testimony has always prevailed in OR out of court. See samples below of comments we might make in a home inspection report depending on what we see:

Minor shrinkage or movement cracks were noted in the concrete at the foundation walls and/or floor slab with no interior signs of moisture leakage. In our opinion this is not uncommon for this age and type of construction, combined with expansive soils. We recommend keeping any crack, gap or utility penetration well sealed, tuckpointed, etc to be able to monitor for future movement or leaking. If either condition should ever occur, repairs could be needed.

There were conditions present in the structural support system that indicate there has been a liberal approach to proper installation practices. This type of installation has the potential to become problematic in the future. We recommend having a licensed and competent foundation contractor or licensed structural engineer read the inspection report; evaluate the buildings structural support system; then service, repair or modify any unreliable conditions or deficiency’s in a proper manner prior to closing.

The foundation has undergone movement and/or cracking and leakage at some point in time that has required repairs. Previous repairs have been made (such as … choose one … piers, steel restraints, an epoxy or urethane type of crack injection, etc). This is usually done by permit, and with either an engineers or licensed and competent foundation contractors report and calculations to go by. It is common that foundation contractors would warranty their work and this may be transferable. We recommend that you get all building permit information from the applicable building code department, and have the property seller or owner provide receipts, warranties, and get copies of the foundation contractor or engineers reports, etc. If this information is not available we recommend evaluation by a licensed foundation contractor OR structural engineer.

There were conditions or systems present whose purpose appears to be to provide water proofing for the structures foundation. Their design indicates a rather liberal approach to proper installation practices. This type of installation has the potential to become problematic in the future. We recommend having a licensed and competent water proofing contractor read the inspection report; evaluate the buildings water proofing system(s); then service, repair or modify any unreliable conditions or deficiency’s in a proper manner prior to closing.

In our opinion the cracks or openings at wall(s) need structural repair.

There was soft, missing or deteriorating mortar at varied locations. These should be tuckpointed by a competent masonry specialist.

Due to the various issues we observed at the foundation walls inside and/or outside, we recommend further evaluation by a competent and licensed foundation contractor, OR a licensed structural / geo-technical soils engineer. Then have any recommended repairs or modifications performed. Please be informed that many licensed engineers ARE NOT structural engineers, and although licensed as PE’s (professional engineers) structural and soil issues are not their strengths.

In my opinion the foundation is not performing as intended and needs repair. Different people have different experience or tolerances, and another professional’s opinion may differ from mine. We urge you to ask a Competent Foundation Contractor or a Licensed Structural Engineer for a second opinion and to determine the repair that is needed.

Soil pressure is often caused by improper drainage, and can be strong enough to push foundation walls inward. When walls begin to lean or bow, a homeowner needs to install wall restraints (steel I-beams, helical piers, deadmen, etc) to stop further inward movement. If the wall is leaning or bowed inward over 2.5" +/- OR over 1/3rd its width it is typically realigned and straightened before bracing.

Due to the conditions observed during the inspection, we recommend further evaluation by a competent and licensed water proofing contractor. Then have any recommended repairs or modifications performed.

48

Your 2nd to last paragraph,
‘When walls begin to bow, a homeowner needs to install wall restraints (I beams etc) to stop further movement’…

Wall restraints, beams or wall anchors or carbon fiber straps etc do not ‘stop’ further movement. Have seen this going on 4 decades.

And ONLY installing wall restraints on a bowed wall doesn’t seal any of the existing cracks in the wall.

Some walls bow, crack due to concrete slabs that have settled or were tied-into the wall with re-rod (erroneously), some bow,crack due to a porch footing that has deteriorated or settled against the wall, some bow in/crack due to underground tree roots against them so, only recommending to install interior wall restraints doesn’t remove/relieve these causes off the wall.

Yeah sure, lateral soil pressure alone causes many walls to bow,crack and so again, only installing beams, wall anchors, carbon fiber straps etc doesn’t remove/reduce the soil etc off the wall, one is asking for further trouble/problems.

Block/brick walls that bow in have exterior cracks/cracked parging so, only recommending to install interior wall restraints and grading doesn’t repair/waterproof the exterior cracks… sorry.

Photos, wall restraints/anchors were ONLY installed here… not good, not the correct recommendation or solution
http://picasaweb.google.com/101049034584960315932/BasementWaterproofing36 click individual photos to enlarge eh

I beams and an interior basement systems was installed here, NOT the correct diagnosis nor repair, sorry…homeowner is out $15,000+
http://picasaweb.google.com/101049034584960315932/BasementWaterproofing41 click photos to enlarge

2 individual photos of a bowed in wall, multiple exterior cracks/openings and disintegrated blocks
http://picasaweb.google.com/101049034584960315932/Crawlspace#5540665069188493442
Just install wall restraints? And, i dunno, pour more concrete on top of the existing concrete? lolol

Disintegrated blocks… just install interior wall restraints?
http://picasaweb.google.com/101049034584960315932/Crawlspace#5540665133328086770

49

Bubba …

You’re partly right.

Just adding restraints, earth anchors, helical piers, etc by themselves will not stop further movement UNLESS what made the wall move to start with is also corrected.

That should be an obvious for a contractor, home inspector, engineer, etc…

50

In my area, one thing I see a lot of is many REA’s have the names of licensed engineers that will come out look at moving, damaged walls …Then write a report stating there was movement, recommending restraints and stating if the repair is made the PE would consider the wall structurally sound.

WITHOUT making the correction of whatever made the wall move to start mandatory.

Seller gets off with less $$$$$$$$ out of pocket. REA’s sell this by saying things like:

“Oh don’t call a foundation contractor, they’ll just try to sell you something. I’ve got a GREAT engineer that will come out for $200”

51

Mr. Dan,

yes, we see the same type of blllshttt, over and over and over.

many realtors around here just want to ‘off’ the house/make the sale-commission as quickly as possible, and so pretty much ANYTHING that is suggested to them as a quick, cheap supposed–solution they jump right on it and then of course run their mouths that the problem(s) were fixed etc, absolute nonsense/FRAUD.