That's because the only answer to your problem IS obvious! In the future, if you want helpful advice, ask for it, and you will get it just as you have in this case. If you want to hear fairy tales, go to the children's library at story hour.
BB
No, I came here asking if there was any product that could do a specific task. That was all I needed an answer for. There were only 2 options in my situation.
Number 2 I can handle. That, my friend, is a no-brainer. Number 1 was why I posted here, seeking a specific product.
I don't see where your suggestion of a brand of footwear really applies to the question I posted. Please feel free to explain how shoes will answer whether or not there is a product that will temporarily patch a crack in a wet wall?
Thanks, Mike
You said: "I cant get up to clear the gutters in the rain, and they are predicting rain for the next 3 days, so I need a quick fix."
Among the reasons for your saying this, I came up with two possibilities. The first is that water might make you melt, like the witch in "Wizard of Oz". The second is that you were concerned about slipping. The second seemed the more likely reason.
Next: You did NOT say your car was out of service, so it was safe to assume you could get out of the house and purchase shoes which would increase your safety significantly while dealing with your current crisis, and look good with khakis for several years afterward.
Next: Someone mentioned hydraulic cement, but you still sound as if the problem hasn't been solved. If this is true, did you want the correct product delivered? Or, did you get on the phone to some hardware stores and ask if they carried the aforementioned product?
I see at least two mentions of hydraulic cement in the various replies to your question. If the water's rushing in fast enough, the cement might not have time to set, but it comes in small boxes, so if it fails, you're out five or ten bucks.
If you want a brand name for the cement, don't hold your breath. I doubt many people have to use the product more than once in a lifetime. Nobody will remember specifics.
I bought this for a hairline crack in our basement wall that occasionally lets in a small puddle of water during a heavy rain. Haven't had a chance to apply it yet and test it out:
Xypex
Mike,
Don't take it personal! You are right, you asked about a quick fix for an age old problem. As you can probably tell, most of us that have dealt with similar situations realize that there is no quick fix - or permanent on for that matter. Gutters get clogged, and depending on where you live, several times a year. If you have a water problem, you need to get to the source of the water and stop it.
A) get the gutters cleaned and keep them cleaned. As you say, that's not always easy to do, and just like the rest of the roof, you only need it when it rains, and that's when it's the most difficult to deal with the problem!
B) Gutter guards, toppers, and all the other strange products to come along are marginal at best, some introduce more problems (ice dams, gutter failure, increased work just to clean them when stuff does get in the gutter, which it will). So be careful using THIS as a quick or permanent fix.
C) Landscaping and grading - you mention that the ground slopes (posing a ladder slipping problem), but does the grade right at the house slope away from the foundation. Many times it does not - after a few years the backfill following the house's construction sinks, causing the ground a few feet from the house to actually slope towards the house. Correct this and you might find your problem is solved.
D) Foundation cracks - they are pretty much a fact of life, and small ones are rarely much problem. If the water is there it's going to find a way in even if there is no crack - it's called seepage. But if the crack is large, fill it with something that is recommended for concrete repair (a Google seach will probably return some products, and the helpful guys at Lowes will surely have something they can recommend).
E) Remember - a basement is nothing more than a swiming pool with a house on top. If you live in a wet enough area, you are probably going to be cursed with it for as long as you live there.
Good luck, and please use the group again for problems, There will always be someone out here that has had a similar problem they've solved, just as there will always be jokers to poke fun at your question. Everyone was a novice at one point, they just forget the help THEY received (probably back in the day when they didn't have the Web to waste their time on!
Mark
Magic formula that the Internet is based on
Garbage In = Garbage Out.
"AlienZen" wrote:
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