Joe Robertshaw
Jan 19, 2013, 08:16 AM
I purchased a house that had undisclosed water problems.
My house is built in 1942 and is mostly (2300 of 4000 sq.ft.) underground and it takes up the entire width of the city lot on which it sits. The construction is approximately 10 inch thick steel reinforced concrete shell then 18 inched of airspace followed by an inner shell construction of cement block and some wood framed walls as well. Air ducts, waterlines and electricity runs in the airspace.
The first year(2006) a second sump was installed to alleviate the flooding that occurs regularly in the basement. The flooding returned the following spring.
I dismantled the inner wall along the flooded side of the house and discovered rusted air ducts, rotted wood and mold everywhere. I tore out the air ducts and replaced them after I tracked the water to its entry point (or so I thought). I proceeded to hand dig (property is too tight for machinery) a trench 11 feet deep and 3 feet wide the entire length of the 72 feet flooding side of the house. I replaced the clogged round asphalt tile drain with modern corrugated and socked drainpipe leading directly into the sump, sealed the entire wall of the home with sealer and 8 mil plastic. I then filled the bottom of the trench with pea gravel for 4 feet and #57 river rock for the next 4 feet and clay based topsoil as a topper. During that digging I also discovered what I assume is a dry-well/spring-drain that was covered over with turf.
The next heavy rains brought the water back into my home through the inner footer joint and the foundation (wasn't the wall after all). I am about to place a 3rd sump at the point of entry , before I do this does anyone have a better idea than busting up a concrete and re-bar floor that may structurally support such a heavy concrete and re-bar shell?
My house is built in 1942 and is mostly (2300 of 4000 sq.ft.) underground and it takes up the entire width of the city lot on which it sits. The construction is approximately 10 inch thick steel reinforced concrete shell then 18 inched of airspace followed by an inner shell construction of cement block and some wood framed walls as well. Air ducts, waterlines and electricity runs in the airspace.
The first year(2006) a second sump was installed to alleviate the flooding that occurs regularly in the basement. The flooding returned the following spring.
I dismantled the inner wall along the flooded side of the house and discovered rusted air ducts, rotted wood and mold everywhere. I tore out the air ducts and replaced them after I tracked the water to its entry point (or so I thought). I proceeded to hand dig (property is too tight for machinery) a trench 11 feet deep and 3 feet wide the entire length of the 72 feet flooding side of the house. I replaced the clogged round asphalt tile drain with modern corrugated and socked drainpipe leading directly into the sump, sealed the entire wall of the home with sealer and 8 mil plastic. I then filled the bottom of the trench with pea gravel for 4 feet and #57 river rock for the next 4 feet and clay based topsoil as a topper. During that digging I also discovered what I assume is a dry-well/spring-drain that was covered over with turf.
The next heavy rains brought the water back into my home through the inner footer joint and the foundation (wasn't the wall after all). I am about to place a 3rd sump at the point of entry , before I do this does anyone have a better idea than busting up a concrete and re-bar floor that may structurally support such a heavy concrete and re-bar shell?