Wall
Bowing in Damp Basement
Added
January 18, 2007
Q:Our
new house has a damp basement. I know that normally
waterproofing would not be too hard to do, but we have
a special circumstance I’m concerned about. Some time
ago the house had a problem with the foundation and
one of the walls started to bow inward.
The
good news is an engineer was consulted and the wall
has been fixed. We want to finish the basement so I
can add living space to the house. What I need to know
is can I used some sort of sealant for waterproofing,
or would this put too much stress on the repaired wall?
I’m trying to do this without spending a whole bunch
of money.
A: Sealants are not a good idea for any basement,
especially one that has seen structural problems such
as yours. Sealants can actually trap water in your foundation
walls and cause structural problems. It is quite possible
that the problem with your wall was caused by water
infiltration, it is not uncommon.
So,
the best thing for you to do is install a quality waterproofing
system that will keep your basement dry and preserve
your home’s foundation. Since you’ve already seen problems
in the past, I would recommend consulting a professional,
preferably one with structural experience.
The
most likely solution will be a drain tile system and
sump pump. If standing groundwater is contributing to
the problem, an exterior French drain may also be part
of the solution.
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