1/2 inch gap around perimeter of basement floor

15 years ago

We recently had some heavy rains and our basement flooded. The floor is concrete and the walls are cinder block, it is not finished. There is a 1/2" gap around the perimeter of the basement and we think that's where the water came from. The house has a wraparound porch, is waterfront and around 300ft away from the shore, on a slight incline. It has gutters and downspouts, and we made sure the downspouts directed water further away than normal from the house to avoid water under the porch. Can anyone tell me what that gap is for, should/could we seal it? Thank you for any and all information.

Comments (7)

worthy
15 years ago
I find it hard to believe that the foundation is levitating 1/2" above the floor slab. A pic would help.

Interior waterproofing tends to be a stop gap remedy.
maarassoc
15 years ago
That 1/2" gap is most likely your french drain. It's supposed to be there. It gather water around the perimeter and directs it towards a sump it or drains it to daylight.
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worthy
15 years ago
Ah, on the horizontal plane!

Agree with maarassoc. Investigate to see why it's not working. If there's a sump, is there a functioning pump? if a drain, is it functioning?
fairlight47
Original Author
15 years ago
Thank you all for the information. Looks like we have work to do! We've been in the house for 6 yrs and this is the first time the basement has flooded. At one point we were going to finish part of it, but I'm afraid of getting flooded again. That's ok we'll just have to repurpose the space to maximize it's use.
ctnewbie2009
15 years ago
Our contractor said that if the 1/2" gap is to keep any water from crawling up the dry wall. He said that dry wall basically sucks up water so if your basement floor gets wet, that 1/2" gap prevents your walls from getting wet/mildowy.
worthy
15 years ago
The groove/gap could also be a perimeter gutter leading to a floor drain.

The OP didn't say how deep the gap is.
worthy
15 years ago
The groove/gap could also be a perimeter gutter leading to a floor drain.

The OP didn't say how deep the gap is.