Wet Basements: The sequel

I recently reported a smelly basement adventure. For some readers, that story just created questions. I admire that. Because a homeowner's most important tool is curiosity. The second most important tool is persistence.

And that reminds me, when you're doing repair jobs, do you ever think about the origin of the word 'job'? I do. Remember Job, the guy in the Bible who was burdened by misfortune? Well, repair jobs are named after him, since no fix-it project has ever gone well. In fact, the only difference between Job and the average handyperson is that for Job, the trouble eventually ended.

It won't end for you, the modern homeowner. But here's some advice. The trick to successful repairs is to expect, fully and completely, that THIS IS NOT GOING TO GO WELL. If it does go well, one of two principles is active: Either you were suitably prepared for total calamity (when, in fact, the repair stopped short of total disaster) OR, the repaired object is FAKING, and it will soon bust again, only this time it will be horribly permanent. Like Job, your job is to persist in the face of complete ruin, over and over again. See the parallels?

So, for the benefit of long-suffering homeowners, here is a supplementary Q&A about damp basements:

Q: We definitely have a mildewy smell in our basement, but I'm not sure where the moisture is coming from. - Cliff, via e-mail

A: Okay, here's a trick for figuring out whether your dampness is caused by condensation (covered in my earlier column), or moisture creeping in through the foundation.

Start by cutting a one-foot-square piece of foil. Run duct tape along all four sides and secure the foil patch to the basement wall, pressing the tape firmly to seal all edges. Leave the foil on the wall for at least 24 hours. When time's up, inspect the patch to see which side is damp. If the side that was open to the basement air is damp, you have a condensation problem. If the side that was next to the wall is moist, you're getting water seepage from the outside. Pernicious! Proceed to next question.

Q: Help! My basement walls are actually wet! Is there something I can do to correct this? - Mary, via e-mail

A: There is always something you can do for an overabundance of moisture. The real test is how much you enjoy it. The following problems cause wet foundations:

Problem #1: You have aluminium siding on your home and some of it is loose, broken or missing entirely, so wind-driven rain gets into the walls where gravity sucks it into the basement.

Solution: Cut around the damaged area with a utility knife. Clean the surrounding surface with rubbing alcohol. Cut a piece of new or matching siding allowing one inch of overhang on all sides. Run a bead of silicone sealant around the entire perimeter on the wrong side of the patch. Press it into position and tape it there for an hour while the sealant sets up.

Problem #2: Your basement windows are leaky.

Solution: Re-do exterior caulking around windows. Coat surrounding wood surfaces with a fresh coat of exterior paint to seal possible entry points for water. You can also buy clear plastic covers for basement window wells to limit their exposure to moisture.

Problem #3: Your gutters and/or downspouts are leaking or clogged to the point of overflowing, so gallons of rainwater spill down against your foundation, seeping through the walls into your basement.

Solution: Clean those gutters and repair gaps, holes or leaky joints with silicone sealant. If downspouts are plugged, give them a high colonic by blasting water into them with a hose. TIP: Wear something that isn't transparent when wet.

Problem #4: Your downspouts are draining too close to your home's foundation.

Solution: Add drainage extensions to the ends of downspouts to deposit water as far from your foundation as possible (minimum six feet).

Problem #5: The grading around your home is incorrect. Soil should slope downward and away from the exterior walls and window wells, so water drains away from the foundation. In many cases (see photo) patios sink and act like collection ditches holding water against the house.

Solution: This can be a huge job that necessitates the immediate rental of a skid-steer loader to re-grade your entire yard. Huge fun. Charge neighbour kids five bucks a ride and you'll cover the cost of renting the beast.

Problem #6: If none of the above solutions work, your house may have drainage issues below ground level, i.e. an encroaching water table or underground spring. This requires excavation, waterproofing and luck, the kind of luck you may not have. So hire a professional. But when you have an acute situation with water pouring through your basement walls during a dinner party, emergency tactics are necessary.

Solution: Apply hydraulic cement to leaks or cracks on the interior side of foundation walls. Applying hydraulic cement is dead easy and stops an active leak in its tracks. Widen your cracks first with a cold chisel, undercutting the edges (the cement adheres to an undercut opening better than it sticks to a v-shaped trench). Mix a small batch of hydraulic cement to the consistency of icing, then trowel it into the crevice. TIP: This stuff is extremely alkaline and will irritate skin and mucous membrane. Wear gloves, goggles and a dust mask. If you get it on your skin, rinse off with vinegar to counteract the alkalinity.

Until next week, remember; a job well done is a job that's never over. And that makes home repair about as close to immortality as some of us will ever get, so enjoy it.