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Can I seal off my basement drains??
I am in the process of finishing my basement and I have a total of 4 drains in the floor. The house was built in the 30's. I have never, ever had any water in the basement. I do however have a strong sewer gas odor coming out of the drains at times (I suspect when the traps dry out? ). I was wondering what I can do to seal them off so I can finish the basement and eliminate the nasty odors. Also, I have one mortar joint that gets damp after a heavy rain. If I dig out that mortar to repair it, what type would you recommend I use to replace it?
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I have one mortar joint that gets damp after a heavy rain. If I dig out that mortar to repair it, what type would you recommend I use to replace it?
As for your floor drains. Block the drains with damp rags to seal off the drain and fill the opening with hydrolytic cement to a level floor. Good luck, Tom |
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Sorry, I should have been more specific... The mortar is about two rows up on the back basement wall. It's like the mortar was painted over several times, and on a rare occasion, it will become damp if we have a really hard, extended rain shower. I'm wondering what I should use to replace the mortar if I dig it out from between the block...
With the drains, there's no issue with just blocking them off? The hydraulic cement will prevent future odors from leaking around it? |
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Comment on speedball1's post
Sorry, I should have been more specific... The mortar is about two rows up on the back basement wall. It's like the mortar was painted over several times, and on a rare occasion, it will become damp if we have a really hard, extended rain shower.
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Comment on speedball1's post
I'm wondering what I should use to replace the mortar if I dig it out from between the block...
With the drains, there's no issue with just blocking them off? The hydraulic cement will prevent future odors from leaking around it? |
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I'm wondering what I should use to replace the mortar if I dig it out from between the block...
My bad! I was thinking pipes and not cement blocks. If you have moisture that seeps past the joints in the blocks during a hard rain you can seal those joints with Hydraulic cement also. But if ground water has you concerned why in install a french drain or build your own dry well,(see images) and direct the run off away from the house?
The hydraulic cement will prevent future odors from leaking around it?
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