Hey yall,
I am finishing a basement area that has some moisture seeping up through the concrete floor. It is not a lot, but enough to cause mildew problems. The floor is bare now, but I want to install an I/O carpet. My question is, what should i apply to the bare concrete first, or will the glue for the I/O carpet act as an effective moisture barrier?
Thanks
Replies
Cut 12" slot in the concrete all the way around the perimeter. Dig a foot down and install a foundation drain in pea gravel. Slope the drain into a sump. Pump the water out with a sump pump.
After it's dry, think about a floor covering.
Bob's next test date: 12/10/07
Or, forget the concrete saw and grab a shovel. Slope the soil away from the foundation. If that proves dificult due to steep grade, dig a swale or shallow ditch about eight feet from the house.
Edited 7/13/2008 2:59 pm ET by arcflash
Sounds like there's too much moisture to control with a sealer. Definitly stop the moisture then worry about the flooring.
Ben,
Remember, H2O flows horizontally, often over days or even weeks. Are you sure that the project is worth the expense to do it right?
My house sits high atop a 30' (gravel) hill, that is well graded, and the basement has always,and still has had moisture issues (20" of of water prior to a sump pump installation once during a record heavy rain) The cost to get a dry basement can be very expensive, despite what you see on TV about the basement "rec room". I'm happy to not have flooding anymore, though the floor is damp at times.
Doing it right involves exterior excavation, footing level drainage pipes, at least one if not two sump pumps at the very least, possibly sealing of the foundation walls...
You have to ask yourself this, is it worth it for the sq.ft gained? IMO,Not for a renovation, but yes if you are building somthing new.
Obviously, only you can answer that question.
WSJ
Sometimes water flows vertically too - right up!I have read here that in some soils and groundwater conditions. it will well up through the crete if no drainage system was built with sump eject. In those cases, even a good waterproofed slab will be floated right up, or break. Hydrostatic pressure is pretty awesome.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
I think I even read of drained swimming pools popping up out of the ground. TOH, maybe?...
man, I'm shadowing you like crazy today. sorry, I'll stop now. have a good evening everybody...
k
I didn't FEEL stalked, LOL
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Or you can do it the easy way... <G>
Thank you all for the inputs. I'll have to think awhile about it. I am in the lowcountry and hoped to have a "bar/workout/billard/media room" down in all that extra square footage that has been going to waste.(finished floor heights in these parts must be 14 ft above MSL)
I may have to nix the media idea, unless I can figure a way to protect the electronics when not in use.
Now and then one does hear of a pool popping out of the ground around here, especially around spring/or full moon tides.
Lots of the older houses in MI all had moisture problems. They are easily fixed with the interior perimeter drain. It sounds like a big deal but it's not really that hard...assuming you have the right equipment and a strong young strapping lad that doesn't know it's hard work.Drying out your basement is great value. You will never get quality square footage at that cheap of a price. Put an addittion on and you will pay upwards of $100 per sq ft. You probably can dry out the basement for less than $10 per sq ft and it will add significant air quality to your entire home. I wouldn't do anything till I got it dried out. And don't worry about the sumps and pumps. They are little workhorses and cheap. I lived in a high water table area. My sump kicked on every 15 minutes every day for the 20 years I lived there. I replaced it twice...both times under $100 and ten minutes of effort. Bob's next test date: 12/10/07