This old basement!

[mscher]

Recently purchased a 125 year old farm house in Indiana.<br /><br />Not surprising, the basement seeps water. <br /><br />This basement has had some of the walls redone with concrete so it is in pretty good shape, but still seeps water (although slowly), where wall meets floor and through repaired cracks in floor. It seeps even when it has not rained for weeks.<br /><br />The roof downspouts extend out about 5 feet.<br /><br />Radical moves like installing perimeter drains are not feasable due to costs, at least for now. Will any floor/wall coatings help?<br /><br />Has anyone used expoxy floor coating or anything else to slow the seepage? We would like to convert an area to at least a bare-floor TV room.<br /><br />Thanks for any input.<br /><br />Marty

 

[roscoe]

Re: This old basement!

The water may be coming from springs under the house.<br /><br />My fathers neighbor sealed up his basement so well, that when the water pressure built up, it buckled the floor.<br /><br />If you can't dig it up and install proper drain tiles and sump, you are stuck, inside coatings are a waste of time and money, and only trap the water inside the concrete.

 

[BiXLL]

Re: This old basement!

After having my basement done, I was rather sick. It is a very simple operation to do. Alls that is to it is digging all the way around where floor and walls meet. Dig a sump hole in 1 corner, route frech drain around perimeter into sump. (get angle to assure it drains into sump) Cover drains with gravel, top coat with cement. It will take about 3 or 4 weeks for ground water to work its way out, but it will dry out!

 

[BrianFD]

Re: This old basement!

Just paid $8500 to have mine 'waterproofed': concrete floor busted out, french drain installed, sump built & new sump pump installed, outside basement walls exposed & sealed with tar & visqueen, downspouts connected to new pipe leading to the street. Still had a leak at the fireplace flue in the basement, which is what caused us to call in the 'professionals' in the first place. Found out there was a large hole on the side of the chimney between the brick & the frame. $5 worth of roof tar & a caulking gun took care of it. Valuable lesson learned, but won't be paid for until 2006. Found out later a friend of mine that does concrete work would've done it for 1/2 of what I paid.... Oh well

 

[Bigfun]

Re: This old basement!

I poured a new layer of concrete on top of old one with plastic sheeting inbetween.Made a channel around the perimeter at the same time to facilitate drainage. I had 10' ceiling to work with though.