I'm feeling really stressed about my current living situation. I live in a house on a hill with a concrete foundation, and it's less than 40 years old. We've never had any foundation problems before, but with the recent heavy rains, water has started leaking into my basement apartment, specifically into my bedroom. We had to tear up the floors and remove everything from the room, including insulation in the adjacent crawl space. The leak seems to be coming from a seam between the basement floor and foundation wall. The problem may have started after the garden above this area was recently dug up, which I suspect altered the way water drains in that area. I can't figure out how to fix it as it's created a really cramped atmosphere, and I can't afford repairs right now. My cats are struggling too, and it all feels overwhelming. I'm venting but would love any advice or similar experiences!
3 Answers
Wait, are you renting this place? That's important to know because your landlord might need to step in. Since the water issues are linked to changes outside your home, they should be responsible for fixing it! Have you talked to them about it yet?
I'm really sorry you're going through this. But here’s some good news: it seems like this isn't a foundation problem at all. The key detail you shared is about the garden area being dug up. It sounds like that changes the slope of the ground, causing water to pool against the foundation wall, which can definitely lead to leaks. It's essential that the ground slopes away from your home to direct water away. Once that’s adjusted, you might find your water issues resolve themselves!
Absolutely! If they manage to regrade the garden to slope away from the house, you should see a significant improvement. I would look into some DIY solutions to create drainage if possible!
Good news for you! This likely isn’t an issue with the foundation. It seems your problem lies in water management. Can you confirm if the garden area is on the uphill side of the house? That could change how water drains. A simple fix through proper grading might just do the trick.
The garden area is on the side where the hill begins to slope down, but my room is on the opposite side. It’s a mystery how the water gets to me!
Yes, I rent from a family member who owns the house, and they have the upstairs. I’ve been reluctant to burden them with this since they live above.