Basement floor still has seepage after waterproofing

[Don Jones]

Was wondering if anyone out there can lend a hand in explaining what my possible options would be. I had a waterproofing company come out after some research and they installed a system with what is called whiteboard all along the walls. If water comes in it just runs down the back of the "whiteboard" into the channels under the floor all along the walls over to the sump. The system seems to be working very well, we've had some heavy rains and our basement no longer floods at all.

Usually when it rains I've notice a spot popping up here or there where it appears to be slightly damp to the touch. I have to hold my hand on the spot and it feels a little damp. No puddles or anything, just some slight seepage. The company has been good about coming back out and doing some work to fix these spots. They ran what is called a "lateral line" one time that extended a channel into the middle of the floor. On the various spots on the floor in other places, there was some sort of caulk put in, and I noticed they drilled a few spots and filled it with this material. On the second visit, they used more of this caulk material and also some Thompson's water seal on areas that were larger damp spots.

My question is should I keep having them come out and treat these spots as they pop up? I'd like to move forward with putting a sub floor down, but I'm afraid more spots will pop up. Should I paint the floor with any kind of drylok or something like that? Also, on that note, are there any suggestions for a sub floor if necessary? The floor is a bit uneven and we'd like to just put down some padding and carpet but we think that it's going to need more than that – something to even out the floor, and also something to protect the carpet from moisture.

I do have a dehumidifier running to keep it as dry as possible. These spots only pop up during rains.

Thanks! DJ

[Art]

The only real solution is drainage around the outside. You should first check your gutters to make sure they work correctly during the heaviest rains and the water should be piped off away from your foundation. Also check the grade and make sure the soil is graded away from the house foundation. Also, not only does the top permeable soil have to be properly graded but if there is a layer of clay below it that needs to be graded properly too. That is all the cheap fixes. If that doesn't work I would not spend a nickel finishing the basement until you put in an exterior drainage system. Quite frankly that should have been done before the interior basement system. The interior system is really only a back up. Seems to me you probably have a high water table under your slab and the basement will never be sufficiently dry unless you get that water table down. Will probably need a sump pump with a back up power supply.

possible options would be. I had a waterproofing company come out after some research and they installed a system with what is called whiteboard all along the walls. If water comes in it just runs down the back of the "whiteboard" into the channels under the floor all along the walls over to the sump. The system seems to be working very well, we've had some heavy rains and our basement no longer floods at all.

it appears to be slightly damp to the touch. I have to hold my hand on the spot and it feels a little damp. No puddles or anything, just some slight seepage. The company has been good about coming back out and doing some work to fix these spots. They ran what is called a "lateral line" one time that extended a channel into the middle of the floor. On the various spots on the floor in other places, there was some sort of caulk put in, and I noticed they drilled a few spots and filled it with this material. On the second visit, they used more of this caulk material and also some Thompson's water seal on areas that were larger damp spots.

as they pop up? I'd like to move forward with putting a sub floor down, but I'm afraid more spots will pop up. Should I paint the floor with any kind of drylok or something like that? Also, on that note, are there any suggestions for a sub floor if necessary? The floor is a bit uneven and we'd like to just put down some padding and carpet but we think that it's going to need more than that – something to even out the floor, and also something to protect the carpet from moisture.

spots only pop up during rains.

[Don Jones]

Thanks for the reply. In our case it would have been too costly for a system around the outside – we have a large porch, a deck, and an attached garage that were all in the way so it would have been a big project. The waterproofing company warrantees the job for life and seepage is covered. I'll go the route of taking it up with them to come back.

One more thing – the spots seem to pop up mostly in areas where there are cracks in the floor. Regardless, the company claims the system is supposed to prevent water from getting that far because the system collects it and removes it thus eliminating any buildup and seepage under the floor.

nntp://news-server.neo.rr.com/alt.home.repair/

[alt.home.repair]

[Higgins]

possible options would be. I had a waterproofing company come out after some research and they installed a system with what is called whiteboard all along the walls. If water comes in it just runs down the back of the "whiteboard" into the channels under the floor all along the walls over to the sump. The system seems to be working very well, we've had some heavy rains and our basement no longer floods at all.

it appears to be slightly damp to the touch. I have to hold my hand on the spot and it feels a little damp. No puddles or anything, just some slight seepage. The company has been good about coming back out and doing some work to fix these spots. They ran what is called a "lateral line" one time that extended a channel into the middle of the floor. On the various spots on the floor in other places, there was some sort of caulk put in, and I noticed they drilled a few spots and filled it with this material. On the second visit, they used more of this caulk material and also some Thompson's water seal on areas that were larger damp spots.

as they pop up? I'd like to move forward with putting a sub floor down, but I'm afraid more spots will pop up. Should I paint the floor with any kind of drylok or something like that? Also, on that note, are there any suggestions for a sub floor if necessary? The floor is a bit uneven and we'd like to just put down some padding and carpet but we think that it's going to need more than that – something to even out the floor, and also something to protect the carpet from moisture.

spots only pop up during rains.

I agree with Art on this. I can't understand why people fall for waterproofing methods done from the inside, unless they are looking for bottom line pricing in hopes of a miracle.

You wouldn't try to fix a roof leak from the inside by running a gutter in your attic, then into a bucket. The technique you described for your basement is similar by trying to divert the water.

You need your basement _damp-proofed_ , this can only be done from the exterior. A more costly but proven method.

[Donald Jones]

I appreciate the suggestions. I see that the outside work is the best way to go. Since that is not an option for us, I was wondering if there any other suggestions for my other questions as far as flooring goes.

Thanks, Don

[Art]

If you insist on not doing it right I'll give you a suggestion on how to do it wrong. Make holes in your basement floor and install a network of perferoated piping and gravel several feet down in a network to collect water which goes to 1 or more sumps where it collects and pumps out. Put a thick moisture barrier on the floor. Then install treated lumber floor joists to suspend a new subfloor over the concrete floor. Then if you want a non-carpeted floor use snap together laminate that can be unsnapped if required (some cannot and some can only be snapped 3 times. Mannington can be snapped unsnapped as many times as you want) and install over your subfloor..