step on a crack...whack-whack...!!!

12 years ago

Dear Lord,

What a way to spend a Sat. evening!!!!

Finally decided to get my butt in gear and repair the INSIDE portion of our foundation crack!

Dug down & repaired outside portion late last summer. Water was leaking into lower bedroom during direct rains! At first thought it was a leaky window corner or something. Checked closer and discovered a foundation crack!

So....got that repaired.

Now to the interior...

Cut the drywall out, etc.

Banging the crack wider with a Cold-chisel & hammer...WHACK-WHACK! Have to get it deeper/wider to Hydraulic-Cement into.

The widened-out crack is obviously to the left of the 2x2 stud. Appears kinda white-ish when the flash hits it.

View across room...

(notice the little Vikings bear on the Ledge-wall, and the old NDSU-Bison kneepad on floor!!

Hafta vacuum-out the crack tomorrow, lightly mist it, and push Hydraulic-Cement in.

UFFDA!!! Must've chiseled that damn thing for an hour....#$^@@@^@$%%&@&...

Faron

Comments (3)

bpchiil
12 years ago
WOW!! You are certainly going through a LOT of trouble with absolutely no guarantees.

This crack should be repaired with injected epoxy. Putting hydraulic cement is only a band aid as it will not penetrate into the crack itself.

Hire yourself a waterproofing company to repair this properly, or get the correct kit to fix it yourself. However, if you hire it to be completed, most companies have a lifetime warranty that can be transferred to the next owner.

Good luck
Faron79
Original Author
12 years ago
BPC-

I did think about the Epoxy methods. Read some Internet info., etc. One DIY-kit was $150. Small-$change I know, when considering the total value of the basement furnishings, etc.!

However, I've never had this issue in 15 years (age of our home), until last year. Even then, it leaked only during direct rain on the top of the foundation crack...and we've had WET years recently!

The whole foundation wall itself is only 42" high, measured on the inside from floor (we're in a bi-level). If this was a FULL basement, I'd be doing the Epoxy, and/or hiring it out.

I did a good job enlarging the crack on the outside, and pressing Quikrete H-C into it. Foundation-dirt packed firmly (with a tamper!!) down and well sloped away from house, with 6-mil plastic under decorative rock 4' out, along entire side.

Pic taken last summer. Crack WAS at lower-right of window in the foreground. I've since lowered the level of the rock against home a couple inches too. I had it up pretty close to the siding! THAT was a job!!!!! Pulling all that rock back a couple feet, so I could remove 2" of dirt, and still have some slope!! Layin' on my stomach, and chiseling a crack....NOW THAT'S FUN!!

Faron
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lauriedeee
12 years ago
My husband just did the 'injected epoxy' on our basement wall which had a really bad leak. We ordered online and he says we paid about $150. for the whole kit. It worked. We've had quite a few rainy days here with heavy rains and the leaks stopped.
He figured he'd try that before digging out the side of the house to repair it. The epoxy has been in about 2 mos. now and hopefully, it will last.