Foundation Problems

[Bowser]

So I have water coming into my basement not from cracks in the walls, but up out of the floor itself. I have a sump pump and walls/drain ditch, so that isn't the problem. And of course, it's finished down there. It more than likely is one of three things -

1) Water just seeping up through my old ass floor

2) My drain pipe has busted and is leaking god knows what all under my house

3) My half bath downstairs is leaking something from somewhere, but it's not wet in there


I have a feeling this is going to get ridiculously messy and expensive. Any suggestions on how I go about solving this, as in who do I call first? Phobes came to mind, but I didn't think he was into foundation work......

[LaChapelle]

Is your water meter spinning like Clark Griswold's electric meter on Christmas Eve?

[Bowser]

Dry Basement installed my sump pump system. I'll probably start there with a call in the morning. Man this is going to suck.

[Bowser]

Is your water meter spinning like Clark Griswold's electric meter on Christmas Eve?

Dunno. Got one of those new fangled digital jobs that requires the portable reader hooked up to the house.

[Phobia]

Water doesn't flow up unless it has saturated everything and exhausted all paths of lesser resistance. You've got problems and you're right. It's not generally my thing.

Is it clean water or stinky? Check with the water dept to find out your usage first. If that's normal check with a plumber who owns a scope to check your main stack out.

Those steps are comparably cheap before calling out the foundation guys. I'm guessing your tile system is compromised.

[Bowser]

Water doesn't flow up unless it has saturated everything and exhausted all paths of lesser resistance. You've got problems and you're right. It's not generally my thing.

Is it clean water or stinky? Check with the water dept to find out your usage first. If that's normal check with a plumber who owns a scope to check your main stack out.

Those steps are comparably cheap before calling out the foundation guys. I'm guessing your tile system is compromised.

I'll start with those calls first. Gracias.

Inform the uneducated - "Tile System"?

[Bugeater]

I'll start with those calls first. Gracias.

Inform the uneducated - "Tile System"?
I'm no expert, but I think that translates to "you're screwed".

[Bowser]

I'm no expert, but I think that translates to "you're screwed".

Well, let's hope my kid can give a good Valedictorian speech.


And really, this house is a perfect opportunity for Phobia and his crew to test their hands at demolition, if they wanted to try it out.

[Bugeater]

Just "accidentally" leave a space heater too close to the curtains, that'll fix it for sure.

[Bowser]

Just "accidentally" leave a space heater too close to the curtains, that'll fix it for sure.

Looks like I'm going to have to hack my wife's account and put this thread on ignore.

[rockymtnchief]

If you have a nearby river, lake, or canal that is running high you could be getting hydrostatic pressure from below. But this is probably something that you would've noticed before.

[Bowser]

If you have a nearby river, lake, or canal that is running high you could be getting hydrostatic pressure from below. But this is probably something that you would've noticed before.

Yeah, nothing like that. The worst I have is that my neighbors behind me live elevated relative to my position, and I get all their runoff. I put in the sump pump system and a huge concrete patio in the backyard (when I moved in, there was a patio made of bricks), along with a plastic drainage pipe that I laid down that runs around to the front yard. Since the sump pump, I've had zero problems with water in the basement until now.

[epitome1170]

How much water are we talking about?

Another possible situation, is that the ground water from rain/snow has oversaturated the soil below the floor slab. The pressure has thus been relieved itself by going through the concrete if an improper vapor retarder was installed. (Most likely it was because in most residential units they use sub-par vapor retarders or it is installed incorrectly.)

[Phobia]

I'll start with those calls first. Gracias.

Inform the uneducated - "Tile System"?

Simply corrugated pipe which runs around the perimeter of your foundation and dumps water into your sump basin.

[Skip Towne]

Do the smart thing.....move.

[Demonpenz]

i had a guy with the same problem 10 years and 20 thousand dollars later it still isn't fixed.

[Jilly]

This does not sound good, but in my old house in Texas, we had this problem. The carpet in the hallway of the house was soaked, and the floor in one of the bedrooms. You know what it was? The tub was not even anymore and whenever anyone took a shower, the water was leaking down the side of the tub. They caulked it up and never had one more problem. The weirdest thing was that the floor in the bathroom was only wet towards the door on the opposite side.

[Demonpenz]

typical woman, always thinking about caulk

[Jilly]

typical woman, always thinking about caulk

Ain't that the truth? Ain't that the truth!

[Bowser]

This does not sound good, but in my old house in Texas, we had this problem. The carpet in the hallway of the house was soaked, and the floor in one of the bedrooms. You know what it was? The tub was not even anymore and whenever anyone took a shower, the water was leaking down the side of the tub. They caulked it up and never had one more problem. The weirdest thing was that the floor in the bathroom was only wet towards the door on the opposite side.

Interesting. It's a relatively small confined area where the water is pooling up in my basement, close to but not right next to the drain. The water is coming up out of an area that has self leveling concrete laid down when I got the basement finished. It's literally just a puddle over this stuff.

[Jilly]

Interesting. It's a relatively small confined area where the water is pooling up in my basement, close to but not right next to the drain. The water is coming up out of an area that has self leveling concrete laid down when I got the basement finished. It's literally just a puddle over this stuff.

I bet it's just your drain leaking....

[Bowser]

I bet it's just your drain leaking....

Man I hope. That would be so much easier than having a crew jackhammer out my floor.

Well, between you and Phobia, I have a plan of attack. Many thanks to you both.

[Jilly]

Man I hope. That would be so much easier than having a crew jackhammer out my floor.

Well, between you and Phobia, I have a plan of attack. Many thanks to you both.

Good to know I can help with plumbing without showing my crack.

[Bowser]

Good to know I can help with plumbing without showing my crack.

As long as you don't actually resemble a beer bellied plumber, you really needn't worry about that.

[Iowanian]

Is the sump pump working?

Have your downspouts come off? Is water running back towards your house? I've seen something as simple as dirt work and longer drain spouts dry up a basement.

[Bowser]

Is the sump pump working?

Have your downspouts come off? Is water running back towards your house? I've seen something as simple as dirt work and longer drain spouts dry up a basement.
Sump pump works great, and my downspouts run into the drain pipe I installed when I first moved in, and drains out away from the house down a hill. The only curious thing is how the water just puddles up right in one specific area, which makes me worried that it's coming up through the floor. Hopefully the solution is much easier, as Jilly suggested.