Unfinished concrete basement wall leaking

Question

I guess when they were pouring my basement walls it wasn't mixed good. So where they started the pour it's screwed up. In my basement about 4 ft. off the floor there is a spot about a foot around that is different from the rest you can even see rocks....and for the past year it's been leaking. Luckily we would like to eventually put a window in the basement and it will right above the area that is messed up. So we will be digging it up and will go ahead and fix the problem from the outside. As for now...what can I do to fix the problem from the inside.

Thanks!

Answer 1

The bigger problem is, where is this water coming from?  Although there are sealers available at Home Depot, I would want to address the source issue of the water.  Continual seepage into the ground on one side will eventually cause a costly structural problem with your house.

Does it look like the previous homeowner covered, patched or attempted to fix the area before you moved in?  Or did you purchase the house from a builder?  If either of these is yes, you more than likely can require them to address and remedy the problem as this problem should have been disclosed prior to purchase.  

It could be caused from a slow leak in a pipe underground from plumbing or sprinklers etc.  I would hire a company such as American Leak detectors or one similar, to find if there is a leak or if the water is coming from an underground river or water table that your house was built on.  More likely, you have a leaking pipe since the water is only in one area.  

Getting a sealant will only be a band-aid for the underlying problem.  Water leaks de-stabilize the ground and cause it to swell in a different rate from the ground surrounding your other basement walls.  When the soil shifts, pressure will be placed on your house in uneven amounts.  So it is imperative to find the leak and get it fixed__and fast!

Answer 2

Hydrostatic pressure is forcing the water thru the wall. Chances are the problem is not inside, but outside. You need to make sure that water draining away from your foundation, instead of toward it. The dirt should be sloping away from your home. If you have french drains, make sure they are unclogged. No amount of water proofing will stop water from getting into your home if water is pooling or flowing to that part of the wall.

Answer 3

You can patch it up with concrete then seal it with some siller I did it and it worked for me Good Luck

Answer 4

Several points to make....

1. before you hire a leak contactor, determine if you have a leak.  Turn off all the water for the house, at the faucets, etc.  Don't forget the ice maker.  Go to the water meter in the morning, and make a note what the meter reads.  Write it down.  I use a toothpick between the glass and the metal edge of the meter.  Come back  at the end of the day, and note if the meter has moved.  If it has, you may have a leak.  If it has not,,,, no leak.

2. Answers about diverting water away from the house on the outside are good.  Clean the gutters, extend your downspouts if needed, etc.  Check the grading of the land at that point in the house.  It should be sloped away from the house.

3. For a stop gap, dry using a product called DRY LOCK, on the inside of the basement wall.  Found at most home improvment stores.

4.  Permanant fix is the exterior fix, you are planning when you put in your window.  

Good luck.

Answer 5

Handy mam makes a good point about finding the source of the water.  If you don't have gutters or long enough down spouts it could just be from water coming off your roof.  Just because you have started getting water in your basement doesn't necessarily mean something is leaking.

Whether there is a leak or not, you need to seal the crack.  Unfortunately, the only reliable way to do that is from the outside of the foundation.  

You will need to excavate a large hole (at least 3' x 4') on the outside of the wall were the crack is.  You should dig all the way down to the footing.  Seal it from the outside with tar or foundation wrap.  Then line the hole with landscape fabric and back fill it with washed rock to 6" below the level of your yard.  Cover the top with a layer of fabric and then bring it to grade w/ soil and reseed.

Answer 6

theres a caulk sealer that you can use that is specifically made for leaks in concrete.  go down to your local home imporvement store and ask about it