Basement foundation water proofing repair.

[Brandon Whitmore]

I have a client who was having moisture issues in their basement. They hired a foundation waterproofing company to make necessary repairs to prevent future drainage/ moisture intrusion issues.

The company told my clients that spraying the foundation with a silicone based sealant (2 coats) would prevent future water intrusion through the foundation, and that the sealant would penetrate up to 8'' into the concrete. The cost of installing the primer, silicon sealant, and prep work--- $10,000.

As soon as the seasonal rains hit, water started seeping back in through the foundation. The company came back out 2 more times to re- seal the foundation in areas where water was seeping in.

My clients finally got tired of having the company come back out to re- repair the foundation, and decided to get a separate professional opinion.

The entire driveway is channeling water onto the ground against the foundation at the back and corner of the home. I ran a garden hose in the area to prove this to them.

1)Has anyone seen penetrating silicone sealant actually work to prevent water intrusion through a foundation?

2)Shouldn't waterproofing companies spend the time to figure out WHY water is seeping through a foundation before selling unnecessary repairs?

For the price of the waterproofing repairs, they could have had a new driveway that would have prevented the moisture issues. They now have to pour a new driveway anyways.

[hausdok]

The method that was used is money wasted, unless they trench around the foundation and seal the entire foundation wall and footer and ensure that the footing drains are working fine. If I were your clients, I'd be suing them.

OT - OF!!!

M.

[Bain]

I've never heard of this before. Do they use a backhoe to remove dirt all the way down to the footings and then spray them and the foundation both? Think about what a big, messy job that would be. 10K sounds cheap for that much work.

I wonder why your peeps didn't call B-Dry or one of the companies that employs the interior-trench/sump-pump maneuver.

[John Dirks Jr]

So all that was done was seal the foundation? No efforts made to stop the water from going down there in the first place? Does it get cold enough for frost heave there? What good does a sealed foundation do when the walls are caving in?

Sounds ass backwards to me.

[Chris Bernhardt]

How does that go? One ounce of prevention is greater than a pound of cure?

I can't imagine how the interior treatment could be guaranteed to work. What a waste of money.

Treatment combined with collection makes some sense but treatment alone is ridiculous.

Chris, Oregon

[kurt]

Originally posted by Brandon Whitmore

2)Shouldn't waterproofing companies spend the time to figure out WHY water is seeping through a foundation before selling unnecessary repairs?

Yes, but then they wouldn't be able to sell their product.

Folks sell what they have in stock. Waterproofing companies don't sell knowledge or smarts; they sell goop, pumps, and gizmos.

[Brandon Whitmore]

I've never heard of this before. Do they use a backhoe to remove dirt all the way down to the footings and then spray them and the foundation both? Think about what a big, messy job that would be. 10K sounds cheap for that much work.

They only pressure washed the interior of the foundation and sealed the interior. The customer told me they explained to them that this sealant method was in essence like sealing a boat and that water could not get through. They did not put this in writing because I required that the homeowner send me all information (bids, invoices, etc. ) prior to writing up my report. I have never heard of sealing or repairing a boat from the inside to stop a leak. Even more ridiculous is the fact that right in the bid/ invoice they stated that they only treated the above grade portion of concrete on the exterior-- what the heck good is that?

So all that was done was seal the foundation? No efforts made to stop the water from going down there in the first place? Does it get cold enough for frost heave there? What good does a sealed foundation do when the walls are caving in?

No effort whatsoever to stop any of the water-- go figure that the water is still seeping through any time it rains.

Frost heave is not an issue here that I have seen or heard of. It barely gets below freezing for a 24 hour period more than one day a year on the West half of the state.

Yes, but then they wouldn't be able to sell their product.

Folks sell what they have in stock. Waterproofing companies don't sell knowledge or smarts; they sell goop, pumps, and gizmos.

I prefer to sleep well at night.

Thanks guys.

[hausdok]

Well,

They could have done it quite well by using CWM (crystalline waterproofing material); one brand is Xypex, but it requires carefully cleaning the interior of the concrete, patching cracks with hydraulic cement, and then wetting down the walls before applying the CWM. It's a catalyst and reacts with concrete and will form crystals in the first 3-4 inches of concrete from the surface. It won't allow water through but it will allow water vapor to pass.

This still sounds like a jackleg system they're using. If they haven't done anything to relieve hydro-static pressure on the outside or haven't done anything to capture infiltration coming through the cold joint between the footer and the foundation wall, how the hell do they expect to keep water out?

Like I said, they've been taken for a ride. That's the bottom line.

OT - OF!!!

M.

[Wayne Nesbeth]

Hey I am new here and its my first post I don't understand your replies but from title i think its a perfect forum to find a Basement waterproofing services can anyone help and suggest me a good company for this services 

[Les]

not many of us work the Karachi, Sindh, 12311, Pakistan area.