SHOP PRODUCTS
Houzz Logo Print
vikkid_x2

Should I be worried about water leaking through the basement wall?

Vik Des
6 years ago

Seems like a stupid question, but please read till then end so you get the reason for my question. I have a 1940 built home in the suburbs of Boston and am in the middle of a basement renovation. We had a storm(4" in a day) passing through today(into tomorrow) and when I went to the basement, I noticed that one of the walls is leaking- I saw the water at the foot of the basement wall and on the floor. The gutter downspout is on the other side of the house(the gutter spans the entire length) and here the water is fed to an exterior drain tile that takes the water away from the house.

I have never seen this much water before(see pics) - a few damp spots, but never so much water(even in previous storms). The funny thing is the storm is still going strong, but the amount of water has lessened. I assume this is a combination of evaporation(day time) and maybe a shift in the winds?

Anyhow, this has me thinking about what to do next in the basement finishing project. In fact I was wondering how much I should be concerned about this. I know the risks of mold and damage in most finished basements, but I hope the materials I used in my basement project will negate a lot of those risks. Please let me know your thoughts.


Walls - Metal Studs, PT wood base plate, 3"(R21) Closed Cell Spray foam insulation, Purple board(dry wall), vinyl baseboard.

Floor - Dricore Subfloor, Shaws Florte LVT(completely waterproof including core).


Since this water seepage is not an issue everytime it rains(or if there is major thawing), Im hoping that this setup along with a dehumidifier would be ok.

Are there any small adjustments I could do to make it work like

- leave an inch gap between the floor and the walls(which may allow the dehumidifier to draw the water out faster.

- Add a small catch basin and grade the floor toward the catch basin.


Thank you in advance for your time and opinions.



Comments (3)