How To Fix A Leaky Basement Wall

Water leaking into the basement of a home may cause a lot of damage. It may also encourage mold to grow, which may cause health problems for people living in the home, and may require the services of an expensive mold contractor to eliminate. It is therefore advisable that problems with water seepage into the basement should be dealt with as soon as possible. This article will describe how to fix a leaky basement wall.
A leaky foundation wall is quite a common problem for homes with basements, especially older properties. The leaks may occur for a number of reasons, and it makes sense to identify and eliminate the source of the leaks before doing any repair work inside the basement.
If the leaks are being caused by a problem with the plumbing then that must be rectified. Call in a plumbing contractor to do this. However, in most cases, the problem will be due to inadequate drainage around the home. The solution to this is to ensure that water downspouts, and the soil grade around the home, direct rainwater away from the foundation wall.
The first thing to do is to inspect the drainage around your home. After it rains, walk around the house looking for any areas where puddles of water collect near the house. Focus your attention particularly on areas where leaks have been noticed inside the basement.
It may be necessary to fix the soil grade around the house. Soil should slope away from the foundations so that rainwater drains away from the house, rather than collecting against the foundation wall. The slope can be built up with either soil or sand, and raked down so that it slopes away from the house.
Once the slope has been built up it may be covered by a section of landscaping plastic. This plastic can be spread over the slope and held down with about 4 inches of either sand or soil. If you wish to grow plants here then cut holes in the plastic with a utility knife.
It may also be advisable to extend the water drainage away from the downspouts. Short lengths of drain line or pipe may be used to carry water out of the downspouts, and away from the foundation wall of the house.
At this point it is now possible to repair the wall itself. This will require a hammer and chisel, hydraulic cement, and a good quality commercial sealant. Wearing proper safety equipment, such as eye goggles and gloves, is most advisable.
Identify any cracks and voids in the wall and use a chisel and a hammer to open them up. Remove any loose debris with a small brush. The cement may now be mixed according to the instructions provided, and applied to the crack or void. Once the cement has cured, apply the commercial sealant to the leaky wall.
A leaky basement wall can cause a lot of damage, and may allow mold growth in the home. This problem should be corrected as soon as possible, first by eliminating any plumbing or drainage problems, and then by patching up the wall itself.