My footer actually goes down a block and a half below the slab. Discovered this while chipping yesterday. Lots of digging ahead of me, but I definitely discovered why my mono slab was cracking
Thank you so much for sharing. Best video I’ve seen by far on interior French drain install from start to finish. -what kind of dimple board did you buy and where did you buy it from? -regarding vapor barrier on walls, my basement walls are half above and half below grade. After French drains are in and slab is poured, I’m going to put metal studs maybe an inch off the block walls (fastened to slab and joists, not to block). Would you still recommend this heavy duty floor to ceiling vapor barrier? I live in New York. I’m going to put RockWool between the studs once installed. I originally was planning on also installing polyiso foamboard to the walls, but now I am reconsidering. There’s a lot of mixed information out there on vapor barriers.
Run the dimple board all the way up the wall, or put in the plastic tucked under the dimple board like I did. Put in a radon system into the corregated pipe like my house did, this will slowly suck air from between your rockwood and the walls and remove any vapor that may want to build up back there. I'd really have to see it to know for sure though.
This is an excellent video, with lots of great approaches and suggestions for in-basement water remediation. One thing I'm doing differently based on my specific use-case (and I'm assuming not yours), is to cut the dimple board off 2" below the top of the slab, installing a dimble board cap (which brings it up a 1/2 inch to 1-1/2 below slab), and then air-tight caulking with radon caulk. That's because my basement has high radon levels, so I need to seal it up tight. Running the dimple board above the slab, in my case, would allow air from under the slab to get into the basement, which definitely wouldn't be good for my solution. In addition to a corner clean-out tee, I've added a second tee in another corner that will be connected to the radon system I'm installing. That system ties directly into my drain tile and sump. Assuming I've sealed the slab properly, that should yield very good negative pressure under the slab and facilitate venting gases out the roof. Again, I'm not saying your solution wasn't right for you, and as mentioned I've duplicated just about all your techniques, just saying for my setup I had to take radon into consideration, and used the approach I've described. Not sure if that helps anyone with similar conditions, but happy if it does.
You are doing it right. I sealed the top of the dimple board to the wall liner when I was done to help prevent conditioned air from getting sucked out of the home a little better. (even though the top of the wall plastic is wide open)
This is a great video. There is no way I could do this myself but it was very cool to see. I just purchased a home with foundation issues at a great price. I think I got lucky because after extending gutters only one corner of the home is getting water intrusion. The problem is this home was neglected for so long that the corner of the home now has some settlement with a horizontal somewhat stairstep crack in the corner. The house is only 450 sq ft. I'm having a foundation repair company come in to give me an estimate this week and I'm dreading it. I just know they will try to tell me I need full waterproof when I've already seen major storms come through with absolutely no water intrusion except for the corner. And if I put a bucket outside to catch the rain in that area the basement is bone dry. I also don't want them trying to sell me a full piering job. There are old cracks in the basement that were filled in but no bowing, and none of those areas are showing any movement or water infiltration since gutter extension. I have a dehumidifier that has no trouble keeping humidity at 50% in basement. As you did this for a living, what do you think they will tell me? I know it's difficult to say without seeing. To summarize water intrusion in one corner of home (walkout basement area) along with horizontal settlement crack at corner. Crack comes out maybe 1-2 inches. If you get a chance to respond before this Friday I'd love to hear what you think lol
Well, this reply is several weeks later, but maybe it's not too late. If possible, I recommend digging down to the footer on the exterior corner where there's settling and ensuring no water is eroding your footer. Just because you're not getting water in the basement doesn't mean water isn't eating away your footer on the outside. If so, definitely install new socked/wrapped corrugated drain tile there and get the water away at that point. If you have access to that location and can run a mini-excavator you'll have no problem taking care of that. Maybe $3K-$5K all in with rental, materials, and perhaps some 3rd party assistance. Then, it would be best if you shored up the footer where the wall is cracked; there are too many variables to speculate on what's going on and the correct remediation, but additional concrete with rebar and potentially jacking the corner should take care of that. Then, fill the block cracks with Quikrete Water Stop cement. I'd also add some steel beams on the inside to shore the wall up vertically. You'll have to cut the basement slab to do that. Buy an SDS-Max or rent a full-sized jack-hammer; that will take you less than a day. I probably have more questions than answers, but reach out if you think I can help. I'm in Ohio and would be happy to send my crew over at T&M rates. 1/10th what you'd be quoted for a turn-key job; trust me, I know, as I was quoted $27K from two companies to do basement remediation and did it with my crew for $3K. Actually, my crew did a better job because as an Engineer with 30+ years experience I designed it myself (make that over-designed it, as I usually do). Best wishes getting your situation resolved; and let me know what you decided.
One other thing I'm doing a bit differently than your approach, is to double coat the walls with Ames Blue Max Liquid Rubber Waterproofer, which is a strong and highly adhesive elastomeric coating & sealant. I'm using this approach rather than using the white plastic barrier. Again, not saying your approach is wrong in any way, it's just in my case with radon I have to make sure the entire basement is as sealed tight as possible from any potential radon gases entering it. My cinder block foundation is mostly hollow. So I do believe any water penetration, regardless of where it might enter on the exterior of the wall, will make it down the block's hollow air cavity to the lowest block resting on the footer. And then pass through the many weep holes I drilled (thank you for that recommendation) over the footer and under the dimple board into the socked & wrapped drain tile. Hope that helps anyone else with a similar high-radon basement situation.
Tremendous project. The only thing I would have done different is to dip the bottom of the beams in some kind of sealing/waterproofing paint to prevent/stall rust and corrosion. You might find the beams blistering and the concrete around them chipping away in a few years. 🤞
I thought about doing this, but I put my beams on top of the dimple board so water cannot wick up through the concrete from below. I was afraid that if I dipped them in a coating of some kind, that the coating would get scratched in small areas during handling or prestressing allowing for a point where water could come in, rust, flake and bubble the coating, and never dry out, which would only speed up the corrosion. It's all a hypothesis, but I'd need to do a 30 year side by side test to figure out the true best way. Best way is probably galvanizing, but I cant do that at home or buy galvanized beams from anywhere around here.
How would you rate the 'livability' of the basement, now that work has been done for some time? Do you think it's something that could be finished and dwelled in, much more comfortably?
Great video. Similar to what I want to do to my basment, smaller just shy of 800 sq feet. Poured concrete walls, have some minor flooding issues occasionally but no major structural issues like you. Just want to avoid problems in the future and want to finish the basement. Had a company bid and was about $20k for the job and they wanted to use the block drain on top of the footer. Not something I am really confident in being able to work for me. So, like you may do it myself similar to what you did, but may bring the dimple mat all the way up.
I watched about 90%, awesome vid, but I didn't hear you talk about the walls at all. The walls at the beginning of the video look just like mine with the yellow efflorescence. What are your white curtains for? Did you grind off the build-up on the walls? I've heard drylok is bad for block foundations, did you leave yours on them?
@@kylecole2607 The stronger the better. Most companies use A36 (because they know they can get it fast) but some use A992 and A992 Galvanized. I used A36 because my walls are already stabilized somewhat with the anchors and I was adding in the water management system which will help relieve some of the pressure. If I did not do a water management system, I would have either spaced the beams closer together, or used A992 and still spaced them a bit closer together. Good question!
in the video I explain that the 20 year old wall anchors are failing. I have original paperwork from the previous owner on the anchor install and there was no mention of any drainage
I explained this in the vid. But to answer the question, I did not put them tight up against the wall and bend them all the way in (on this particular home) because most of the cracks had been tuckpointed and there was no chance of correction. Also, the amount of bowing and tipping varied from 1/4in to 2in across the long walls and I didnt want to stress some beams drastically more than others to the point where I would be putting alot of stress on the joists where the severely stressed beams were for no reason; because once again, correction is impossible. I only wanted to apply enough stress to get a good tight fit to the wall to stabilize.
I was analyzing your TH-cam channel and found some issues. If you are interested then I would describe the issues and would have been shared my plan. Thank You
Hello. I do not have water leaking in to basement but my cinder block basement is mush worse. I can not afford to hire a professional. I truly need help to save my home. I need someone to give me advise, and I am responsible for the outcome. I feel helpless losing my home and need diy advice. Can you help me, or at least converse with me through email or anything to find out if you can help me? Please respond.
Even if you don’t have water flooding your basement water penetration is the main reason why your wall is like that. Just do everything he did here. If you live in an area where your county won’t bust your ass or if you have a permit you can even dig the outside of the property, put the beams up tension them, wait a week tension them again, wait another week and give them a final tighten down and then continue with the rest of the process. Before filling back in the outside clean the wall and waterproof it again. For the inside just do everything he did here it’s a bunch of work no doubt but I’ve done it with no experience and sure as hell took me out of almost losing my home like you .
every house in my area build in the 1920s -1960s has this type of issue or worse, this home was a decent deal, home in a great location, has new roof, aluminum siding, steel kitchen cabinets, new windows, walking distance to the schools, fenced back yard, (perfect rental features), I intend on keeping it forever as a rental, I had 1031 exchange money that I had to spend on a home within 45 days of selling another investment property and the time was running out and this was the only home on the market that was priced even close to a deal
don't mean to crash your party but that basement leaks and has efflorescence because water has been getting into the blocks through exterior cracks, it needs exterior waterproofing done n backfilled correctly. What you installed in NOT 'waterproofing'. Beams or wall anchors do not remove, reduce any exterior lateral pressures, clay soil, possible underground tree roots that cause many of the exterior cracks n allows water in. To claim the one will never have to worry about those walls moving etc again is simply false. If some peeps wanna do this INT bull to their own houses then THAT is on them, stupid but it's their hose lol. Your INT system did NOT 'waterproof' that basement. Whoever installed those moron wall anchors i bet, left gaps,holes on the exterior of the walls where the rods go through the stupid walls = more water, salts can get into blocks n basement just from those LOL! smh So Lee the landlord is an expert on B waterproofing and foundation wall repair... do i have this correct?
What a maroon. The beams will keep the walls from bowing in any further. The weep holes will relieve the water pressure. Of course it would be better to jack the house up off the foundation, tear the basement down, pour new 12" thick, 4000 psi, reinforced walls on a new 48" wide by 24" thick reinforced footer and coat the new walls with 16 layers of spray on waterproofing topped with two layers of dimple board then backfilled with 36" width of washed stone on top of quadruple 6" socked drain tiles. Seeing as how that is not really feasible this is the next best solution, and it's under $10k.
@manderson5397 I'd love to rent an excavator and do drainage from the outside, but I've got 1) and attached garage, 2) a front porch, 3) a back porch, 4) a front sidewalk, 5) a back sidewalk, 6) landscaping, 7) 2x buried sewer lines, 8) a main water line, 9) a gas line, 10) a very narrow back yard, 11) a VERY sloped front yard (hard to drive an excavator on), 12) a pretty sloped side yard, 13) no time for all that, 14) no money for all that. But I do appreciate the comment
This is the best waterproofing, foundation drainage and stabilization video I've ever seen. Great job!
thank you
Ton 'o work. Good thing you're young. Turned out well.
My footer actually goes down a block and a half below the slab. Discovered this while chipping yesterday. Lots of digging ahead of me, but I definitely discovered why my mono slab was cracking
Excellent Video.
Thank you so much for sharing. Best video I’ve seen by far on interior French drain install from start to finish.
-what kind of dimple board did you buy and where did you buy it from?
-regarding vapor barrier on walls, my basement walls are half above and half below grade. After French drains are in and slab is poured, I’m going to put metal studs maybe an inch off the block walls (fastened to slab and joists, not to block). Would you still recommend this heavy duty floor to ceiling vapor barrier? I live in New York. I’m going to put RockWool between the studs once installed. I originally was planning on also installing polyiso foamboard to the walls, but now I am reconsidering. There’s a lot of mixed information out there on vapor barriers.
Run the dimple board all the way up the wall, or put in the plastic tucked under the dimple board like I did. Put in a radon system into the corregated pipe like my house did, this will slowly suck air from between your rockwood and the walls and remove any vapor that may want to build up back there. I'd really have to see it to know for sure though.
This is an excellent video, with lots of great approaches and suggestions for in-basement water remediation. One thing I'm doing differently based on my specific use-case (and I'm assuming not yours), is to cut the dimple board off 2" below the top of the slab, installing a dimble board cap (which brings it up a 1/2 inch to 1-1/2 below slab), and then air-tight caulking with radon caulk. That's because my basement has high radon levels, so I need to seal it up tight. Running the dimple board above the slab, in my case, would allow air from under the slab to get into the basement, which definitely wouldn't be good for my solution. In addition to a corner clean-out tee, I've added a second tee in another corner that will be connected to the radon system I'm installing. That system ties directly into my drain tile and sump. Assuming I've sealed the slab properly, that should yield very good negative pressure under the slab and facilitate venting gases out the roof. Again, I'm not saying your solution wasn't right for you, and as mentioned I've duplicated just about all your techniques, just saying for my setup I had to take radon into consideration, and used the approach I've described. Not sure if that helps anyone with similar conditions, but happy if it does.
You are doing it right. I sealed the top of the dimple board to the wall liner when I was done to help prevent conditioned air from getting sucked out of the home a little better. (even though the top of the wall plastic is wide open)
This is a great video. There is no way I could do this myself but it was very cool to see. I just purchased a home with foundation issues at a great price. I think I got lucky because after extending gutters only one corner of the home is getting water intrusion. The problem is this home was neglected for so long that the corner of the home now has some settlement with a horizontal somewhat stairstep crack in the corner. The house is only 450 sq ft.
I'm having a foundation repair company come in to give me an estimate this week and I'm dreading it. I just know they will try to tell me I need full waterproof when I've already seen major storms come through with absolutely no water intrusion except for the corner. And if I put a bucket outside to catch the rain in that area the basement is bone dry. I also don't want them trying to sell me a full piering job. There are old cracks in the basement that were filled in but no bowing, and none of those areas are showing any movement or water infiltration since gutter extension. I have a dehumidifier that has no trouble keeping humidity at 50% in basement.
As you did this for a living, what do you think they will tell me? I know it's difficult to say without seeing. To summarize water intrusion in one corner of home (walkout basement area) along with horizontal settlement crack at corner. Crack comes out maybe 1-2 inches.
If you get a chance to respond before this Friday I'd love to hear what you think lol
Well, this reply is several weeks later, but maybe it's not too late. If possible, I recommend digging down to the footer on the exterior corner where there's settling and ensuring no water is eroding your footer. Just because you're not getting water in the basement doesn't mean water isn't eating away your footer on the outside. If so, definitely install new socked/wrapped corrugated drain tile there and get the water away at that point. If you have access to that location and can run a mini-excavator you'll have no problem taking care of that. Maybe $3K-$5K all in with rental, materials, and perhaps some 3rd party assistance. Then, it would be best if you shored up the footer where the wall is cracked; there are too many variables to speculate on what's going on and the correct remediation, but additional concrete with rebar and potentially jacking the corner should take care of that. Then, fill the block cracks with Quikrete Water Stop cement. I'd also add some steel beams on the inside to shore the wall up vertically. You'll have to cut the basement slab to do that. Buy an SDS-Max or rent a full-sized jack-hammer; that will take you less than a day. I probably have more questions than answers, but reach out if you think I can help. I'm in Ohio and would be happy to send my crew over at T&M rates. 1/10th what you'd be quoted for a turn-key job; trust me, I know, as I was quoted $27K from two companies to do basement remediation and did it with my crew for $3K. Actually, my crew did a better job because as an Engineer with 30+ years experience I designed it myself (make that over-designed it, as I usually do). Best wishes getting your situation resolved; and let me know what you decided.
One other thing I'm doing a bit differently than your approach, is to double coat the walls with Ames Blue Max Liquid Rubber Waterproofer, which is a strong and highly adhesive elastomeric coating & sealant. I'm using this approach rather than using the white plastic barrier. Again, not saying your approach is wrong in any way, it's just in my case with radon I have to make sure the entire basement is as sealed tight as possible from any potential radon gases entering it. My cinder block foundation is mostly hollow. So I do believe any water penetration, regardless of where it might enter on the exterior of the wall, will make it down the block's hollow air cavity to the lowest block resting on the footer. And then pass through the many weep holes I drilled (thank you for that recommendation) over the footer and under the dimple board into the socked & wrapped drain tile. Hope that helps anyone else with a similar high-radon basement situation.
Tremendous project. The only thing I would have done different is to dip the bottom of the beams in some kind of sealing/waterproofing paint to prevent/stall rust and corrosion. You might find the beams blistering and the concrete around them chipping away in a few years. 🤞
I thought about doing this, but I put my beams on top of the dimple board so water cannot wick up through the concrete from below. I was afraid that if I dipped them in a coating of some kind, that the coating would get scratched in small areas during handling or prestressing allowing for a point where water could come in, rust, flake and bubble the coating, and never dry out, which would only speed up the corrosion. It's all a hypothesis, but I'd need to do a 30 year side by side test to figure out the true best way. Best way is probably galvanizing, but I cant do that at home or buy galvanized beams from anywhere around here.
great video !! you saved a ton of $$$
Very thorough! Nice work.
How would you rate the 'livability' of the basement, now that work has been done for some time? Do you think it's something that could be finished and dwelled in, much more comfortably?
Thanks for sharing
Great video. Similar to what I want to do to my basment, smaller just shy of 800 sq feet. Poured concrete walls, have some minor flooding issues occasionally but no major structural issues like you. Just want to avoid problems in the future and want to finish the basement. Had a company bid and was about $20k for the job and they wanted to use the block drain on top of the footer. Not something I am really confident in being able to work for me. So, like you may do it myself similar to what you did, but may bring the dimple mat all the way up.
bringing the dimple board all the way up is a good way to do it.
I watched about 90%, awesome vid, but I didn't hear you talk about the walls at all. The walls at the beginning of the video look just like mine with the yellow efflorescence. What are your white curtains for? Did you grind off the build-up on the walls? I've heard drylok is bad for block foundations, did you leave yours on them?
What rating H beam did you use? Where did you buy them?
23:27 in the video
@@tonto_bob sorry for all of the questions... But why not an A572/992 rated beam? I'm planning mine out so just curioua
@@kylecole2607 The stronger the better. Most companies use A36 (because they know they can get it fast) but some use A992 and A992 Galvanized. I used A36 because my walls are already stabilized somewhat with the anchors and I was adding in the water management system which will help relieve some of the pressure. If I did not do a water management system, I would have either spaced the beams closer together, or used A992 and still spaced them a bit closer together. Good question!
I have a question that white plastic will mold grow under that? Is it better to use simple
Board?
Very interesting!
It looks like there has been threaded rod with backer plates installed already. Was any work done on the exterior? Love your video.
in the video I explain that the 20 year old wall anchors are failing. I have original paperwork from the previous owner on the anchor install and there was no mention of any drainage
Where did you find the dimple drain board?
I would like to know also.
Good workout
Why didn't you secure the beams tight to the top of the wall and then straighten the walls out using by jacking the beam right to the bottom?
I explained this in the vid. But to answer the question, I did not put them tight up against the wall and bend them all the way in (on this particular home) because most of the cracks had been tuckpointed and there was no chance of correction. Also, the amount of bowing and tipping varied from 1/4in to 2in across the long walls and I didnt want to stress some beams drastically more than others to the point where I would be putting alot of stress on the joists where the severely stressed beams were for no reason; because once again, correction is impossible. I only wanted to apply enough stress to get a good tight fit to the wall to stabilize.
What size beams
S4 7.7 lbs/ft A992 grade is ideal, but A36 or A 592 is ok. Depends on the load on the wall and spacing of beams, size of joists, etc
I was analyzing your TH-cam channel and found some issues. If you are interested then I would describe the issues and would have been shared my plan. Thank You
Hello. I do not have water leaking in to basement but my cinder block basement is mush worse. I can not afford to hire a professional. I truly need help to save my home. I need someone to give me advise, and I am responsible for the outcome. I feel helpless losing my home and need diy advice. Can you help me, or at least converse with me through email or anything to find out if you can help me? Please respond.
Even if you don’t have water flooding your basement water penetration is the main reason why your wall is like that. Just do everything he did here. If you live in an area where your county won’t bust your ass or if you have a permit you can even dig the outside of the property, put the beams up tension them, wait a week tension them again, wait another week and give them a final tighten down and then continue with the rest of the process. Before filling back in the outside clean the wall and waterproof it again. For the inside just do everything he did here it’s a bunch of work no doubt but I’ve done it with no experience and sure as hell took me out of almost losing my home like you .
The question is, WHY did you buy this property knowing how bad the basement is?
every house in my area build in the 1920s -1960s has this type of issue or worse, this home was a decent deal, home in a great location, has new roof, aluminum siding, steel kitchen cabinets, new windows, walking distance to the schools, fenced back yard, (perfect rental features), I intend on keeping it forever as a rental, I had 1031 exchange money that I had to spend on a home within 45 days of selling another investment property and the time was running out and this was the only home on the market that was priced even close to a deal
Sounds like he gave a good answer
That basement is dry as hell..you should see mine
Did a good job, but you need another sub pump opposite of the sub pump that you have otherwise good job
He has 2x sump pits and a sewer ejection pit. the sump pits are in 2 opposite corners from eachother. watch the final walk around shot
don't mean to crash your party but that basement leaks and has efflorescence because water has been getting into the blocks through exterior cracks, it needs exterior waterproofing done n backfilled correctly. What you installed in NOT 'waterproofing'. Beams or wall anchors do not remove, reduce any exterior lateral pressures, clay soil, possible underground tree roots that cause many of the exterior cracks n allows water in. To claim the one will never have to worry about those walls moving etc again is simply false. If some peeps wanna do this INT bull to their own houses then THAT is on them, stupid but it's their hose lol. Your INT system did NOT 'waterproof' that basement. Whoever installed those moron wall anchors i bet, left gaps,holes on the exterior of the walls where the rods go through the stupid walls = more water, salts can get into blocks n basement just from those LOL! smh So Lee the landlord is an expert on B waterproofing and foundation wall repair... do i have this correct?
might as well just tear down and rebuild the house?
What a maroon. The beams will keep the walls from bowing in any further. The weep holes will relieve the water pressure. Of course it would be better to jack the house up off the foundation, tear the basement down, pour new 12" thick, 4000 psi, reinforced walls on a new 48" wide by 24" thick reinforced footer and coat the new walls with 16 layers of spray on waterproofing topped with two layers of dimple board then backfilled with 36" width of washed stone on top of quadruple 6" socked drain tiles.
Seeing as how that is not really feasible this is the next best solution, and it's under $10k.
@manderson - Were you dropped on your head as a child? Just curious.
@manderson5397 I'd love to rent an excavator and do drainage from the outside, but I've got 1) and attached garage, 2) a front porch, 3) a back porch, 4) a front sidewalk, 5) a back sidewalk, 6) landscaping, 7) 2x buried sewer lines, 8) a main water line, 9) a gas line, 10) a very narrow back yard, 11) a VERY sloped front yard (hard to drive an excavator on), 12) a pretty sloped side yard, 13) no time for all that, 14) no money for all that. But I do appreciate the comment
@@boilermaker8124 LMAO
Well done 👏