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Need Help - Rain & Sprinkler Water Entering Wall and Causing Damage

9 years ago

We have a knee wall about 3 foot high that surrounds our patio. On top of that is a screened enclosure. Think pool enclosure. The knee wall is concrete block with a painted stucco-like finish. Water from rain keeps entering the wall and causing the paint to bulge out. We have had numerous people look at it & fix the cracks. We think the water is getting in where the birdcage (what they call the screened enclosure) is attached to the wall. Nobody seems to know what to do other than just patch where it bulges out. Suggestions?

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Comments (9)

User
9 years ago
Remove the birdcage and install the flashing that is obviously missing. And move the sprinklers so that the don't spray on the wall.
Vith
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
There is part of the water stain that goes vertical on the right side there, see where it leads to and caulk it at the point of origination, maybe caulk the entire birdcage base on both sides and the fasteners.

If it did need a flashing, what type would you use oak? I just dont know what would work there since the fasteners would penetrate through it.

Otherwise the obvious problem could be sprinklers shooting high pressure water at it daily. Make the sprinklers stop hitting the wall and repair it and see if the problem returns.
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A good example of why you don't buy a house with zero setback on one side. Some basic info adding on to what Suzi said above. Stucco walls are only resistant to water. If there is no eaves protecting them from rainfall or if there are winds causing rain to hit them, they can get fairly wet inside. They have a space behind the stucco and any water that penetrates flows down the inside and out the weep screed. Soil needs to be 4" below that and the ground needs to slope away from the house at 5% minimum. 2% is allowed for a hard surface. If the project had a geotechnical report, it could make additional requirements. I guess that is a long preamble for my next statement, which is that the weep screed is there to get water out of the wall from rain and maybe some spray from watering - not drip watering. His ground level better NOT be higher than your cement slab. Clearly, there can NEVER be standing water above your slab level. He is totally wrong about his liability based upon what we see in your information, limited as it may be. Even without the zero lot line variable, it is routine large damage payments for excess watering, sprinkler leaks, or changes in grade drainage issues causing problems for downhill lots. Also, do your eaves hang over into his property? Are you in a HOA? Edited to add: I noticed this in a forum dedicated to old houses. Stucco houses built before about 1980 or so probably don't have a weep screed at all. Is this an "old" house, whatever that means.
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I did not see mention of a sump pump. Does this house have one? Properly installed? Properly built for sump drainage? Properly operating? Basement flooring should never be installed until proper drainage has been installed, and then the potential for moisture must be considered when choosing materials and methods of finishing a basement floor. Successful sump operation begins with the construction of the footings. At the time the footings are poured, porous drain tiles on the inside perimeter of the footing and a second set of tiles laying on top of the footing outside the basement wall should be installed and pitched to drain to the sump well. These tiles are covered with gravel to permit easy flow of water into the tiles. If these are missing, a concrete basement floor will have excessive moisture during wet periods. Roof drains: How is the water from the roof directed once it gets to the ground? If it pours our near the basement wall, it will move down the wall and pool at the footing. Putting extensions on the downspouts to move water a few feet away from the house helps, but needs good pitch of the soil to carry the water away from the house. This is not always possible. The best way to move roof water away from the house is to install dry wells to receive water from the downspouts. The dry wells must have drain lines to move the water to an exit some distance from the house or to a storm sewer. A drain to some place on the property is not always possible depending on the lay of the lot. In that case, draining to a storm sewer or road ditch is an option. In most locations, it is illegal to drain rain rain water to a sanitation sewer.
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peabody1
Original Author
9 years ago
The sprinklers have been checked by more than one person to make sure it is not the problem. Also have had where the birdcage base meets the stucco caulked. My husband who knows nothing about construction or fixing things thinks that the water is getting in the vertical beams and running down and then following the screws into the wall. He told a birdcage guy his thoughts on this, but I guess the guy didn't think that was possible. Nothing seems to stop the problem.
laura white
8 years ago
I agree. Well, you should remove those birdcage and move the sprinklers so that the don't spray on the wall.
peabody1
Original Author
8 years ago
Laura, It was going to be over $10,000 to take the birdcage down and replace. So we were looking for a cheaper route to fix the problem, if that is possible.
millworkman
8 years ago
Is it the entire kneewall or only in one spot?
peabody1
Original Author
8 years ago
millworkman, it is I believe 3 different spots.
laura white
8 years ago
It's really expensive but it can fix your problem.
millworkman
8 years ago
I don't know but are the bolts holding this down sealed, the base flashed?Back the bolts out and caulk the holes before replacing maybe? Are all the joints in the "birdcage" solid or maybe the spot welds let go or something allowing water to enter? Other than taking the entire thing down and properly flashing it your really just peeing in the wind unfortunately I believe.

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