Water in the house during rain
by
Elena
+20
Recently, during heavy rains we have water on the floor in one place of the house by the outer wall. It is next to an inverted corner. There is no water anywere else, first we thought it was a crack in the foundation but we called for a professional check and it turned out fine. It does not seem to come from the roof or anywere from above as we notices water appearing very soon after the heavy rain started. There no visable cracks or anything. We don't even know what kind of specialist to call for to find the problem.
this is the outside of the spot where the water comes in
view above, no gutters but we don't think it matters, we looked at how the water spreads during the rain and it does not seem to be anything of significance
we even put some extra sealant between the siding and the window but it did not help
12 answers
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I think I would start by making sure that the ground slopes away from the house. In your picture the ground look relatively flat. It is important to get water away from the house to prevent seepage.
Tonia
on Jul 01, 2015
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Try this experiment. Take a large plastic sheet, perhaps a drop cloth. Lay it on the ground against the house where the problem occurs. The edges at the house should run up the side of the house a few inches. Put a few small rocks on it to anchor it in place. It should extend at least 8'from the house. Next good rain, see if problem continues. Also, see if water collects on plastic at house, at which point more ground slope or better drainage is needed. If this improves condition, recheck walls where water appears. Sometimes cinder block walls can be a bit porous, and water will seep through even though no crack is evident. To further isolate, make lines on wall with colored chalk. Water running down over it will cause chalk to run. If the plastic didn't help, move it uphill from last spot and try again. Water might soak into the ground in one spot, and travel along the wall until it finds an opening to your basement. Hopefully this helps
Erik
on Jul 01, 2015
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How about putting a bird bath in that corner to catch the rain?if the rainfall is diffuse or spread out,add a rain chain above the bird bath which will direct the rain into the bird bath also.Or purchase a rain barrel ,catch the rain, then use it to water plants
Funnygirl
on Jul 01, 2015
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You need to have 1-2 french drains installed. I just had 6 french drains installed due to rain coming in my sister's home ruining carpet over and over. Her husband asked me to remodel his home for my sister before he died 1-29-15. You would call a professional landscaping business.
Elaine Smith
on Jul 02, 2015
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Personally, I would remove all the gravel and check out what the problem might be. The bottom line is you need to divert all that water away from that corner by whatever means necessary.
Dennis
on Jul 02, 2015
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Dennis is 100% right! Bird bath just splashes water in a 360 pattern. The leak is below the gravel, guaranteed! You'll need a gutter system for this corner and have it disperse further away from the house!
Hope Williams
on Jul 02, 2015
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You have a water damaged building( WDB) and even if you can not smell "mold" you probably have a mold problem. If you don't now, you will. Mold causes more than respiratory health problems. It can cause headaches and all sorts of systemic problems. I agree with the other comments that you do not want ANY water in your house or splashing around your house. An expert gutter person might help or even an environmental engineer company. This could be an expensive fix, but do not risk your health and do not think you can claim it on your home insurance.
Susan H Dittman
on Jul 02, 2015
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think you need to remove gravel and check problem and either trench or build up soil in corner so it drains away from house or you may need to waterproof this corner.
Puppymom
on Jul 02, 2015
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We have a similar problem in our basement. Turns out what is happening is the water is coming in between the foundation and the wall of the house. It is also in a corner like yours. I didn't think there was enough water gathering there either, until I went out in a pouring rain and actually dug down by the foundation...water was standing and running there. If enough gathers, it comes over the foundation. Your rocks appear to be just a couple inches down, like mine. I suggest you call a water-proofing or foundation repair company. The most common suggestion I got was to install a French drain (also called a J drain) with a membrane against the house, that will collect the water and direct it away from the foundation. It's possible it's coming in higher up and running down the wall, but I'd be kind of surprised. Really, the best way to tell is to tear out the drywall and insulation in that area - sorry - and look at the outer wall, sill plate and studs to get an idea of where it's coming in. Also...every house needs gutters.
Alice Shockley
on Jul 02, 2015
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When my husband and I had that problem, we dug a "french drain" around that side of the house. It worked for about 10-15 years and now needs done again as dirt has settled into the gravel and holds water.
Marla
on Jul 02, 2015
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Make sure that the dirt against the house is higher than what is in front of it. That will direct water away from the house and not towards the house.
Kathy Munson
on Jul 02, 2015
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If it comes from outside, you can't file a claim with your home owners policy. (At least not in NC, I tried!) I agree with Kathy Munson but it needs to be at least 12-18 inches from the foundation to slope in grade near house. Call a foundation pro!
Debbie Culbreth
on Jul 02, 2015
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