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kittywampos t1_jadcrh2 wrote

Architect here: Drilok is not the product that should be used here. Everyone thinks that is the solution, the water is behind the painted coating and will push it away from the surface it may last 5 years before you would have to redo. I would do the downspouts analysis and regrade the soil so it slopes away from the house then apply conproco fiberglass based cement coating to the interior.

https://conproco.com/product-categories/below-grade-waterproofing/

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NotBlaine t1_jadqxjo wrote

As a question (a question is not a challenge)...

I thought you didn't want to block off moisture coming into the basement because the hydro-static pressure will eventually start to push the foundation? Basically better to have wind blow through the sails then move the boat.

Only reason I ask is I had all our gutters and downspouts redone and, sure as hell, still getting moisture in the basement. Pretty much just resided myself to this fate. If you're saying there's an alternative, that'd be great news.

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JustYourNeighbor t1_jae2yej wrote

I did my gutters and downspouts and it dried up my basement. My insurance agent was doing a home visit and was amazed ... "how do you have a dry basement in Pittsburgh?"

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SNIPES0009 t1_jae9vax wrote

All the gutters and downspouts do is redirect water from your roof away from your house. They'll do nothing if the groundwater table or the general grade slopes towards your house. Maybe that is the source of your problem.

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NewAlexandria t1_jaetqli wrote

excavate around the foundation, dry the wall, paint with sealant like tar, dig under the base of the wall by 6 inches or so, place architectural-sheeting from above ground level and tuck under the base, do that all along the wall, sealing the architectural-sheeting together per manufacturer spec, the re-bury it all. Do this along any side of the house that is on the uphill side, or just do it on all sides. Carefully fold and seal a piece around each corner of the house foundation.

also, not sure how it was told to you, but no, you are nto going to reduce hydrostatic pressue by letting your basement be leaky.

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defaultclouds t1_jaf25nx wrote

How much does that typically cost? Does the work include returfing the lawn?

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kittywampos t1_jadszqa wrote

Conproco is a contractor grade product and can be purchased by a non contractor. There are several locations in Pittsburgh area. It is correct to first deal with the hydrostatic pressure by removing as much water as possible. Such as redirecting downspouts etc. if you were planning on making this space livable then it would be a completely different answer. Plus a lot more money to mitigate the problem by excavating the exterior, waterproofing, backfilling with gravel stone, the list can go on but if you did not choose to do that, I would at least recommend conproco.

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turp101 t1_jaea3dr wrote

>planning on making this space livable

I have to go with Jeff at HomeRenovision DIY YoutTube channel on this - you shouldn't plan to make any basement before the 1960s livable as they just were not designed for it - mainly for moisture, height, and fire escapes.

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SnooDoubts2823 t1_jaeq7vb wrote

I've been blessed owning two Pittsburgh area homes, one built in 1955 and the other I live in now in 1956 and both bone dry with no additional work since construction (that we know of). Both finished.

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vivamario t1_jaesc5v wrote

I've turned Pittsburgh basements into living space. It's brutal, expensive work but possible. You have to install perimeter drains/sumps, reroute the utilities into the joists, cut in egresses, demo the interior concrete slab and then dig until the floor is low enough. If the foundation is too shallow, then you have to underpin. Then you have to set new center supports and pour new foundations for those, pour a concrete slab, and waterproof.

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Blottoboxer t1_jadx1s8 wrote

Why not an interior perimeter drain like all the basement waterproofing companies sell?

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mrbuttsavage t1_jaeqw30 wrote

Interior french drain is basically a last resort option.

Those companies really want you to buy their expensive interior work not proper grading and drainage outside.

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Reasonable-Let2885 t1_jaemvk3 wrote

Drylock will not fix the problem, but I would use it after I installed exterior french drains, exterior waterproofing, and a sumo pump.

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Dave95m3 t1_jadqqq9 wrote

Never head of conproco before…am I a new, or is more of a commercial/professional only product?

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turp101 t1_jae9sp9 wrote

Additionally - it looks like some of the moisture could be coming from around the footer area. (Hard to tell sources versus destinations for the water.) One of my places in Carnegie has a high water table due to a spring on the hill behind it. I needed an interior french drain to keep the underground flow from coming up around the slab whenever it rained.

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Also, hard to tell, but it looks like there is a gap between the water and the wall. So the water may not be coming through the wall. I don't see any moisture on that raised footer. Assuming the hot water tank or other plumbing isn't leaking - I would definitely look at a "bath tub effect" as the cause. (No clue the technical term, this is just what I always called it.)

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