My friend's basement is having issues with water seeping in during heavy rains. He sent some photos showing the problem. According to him, the carpet gets wet pretty much all along the staircase floor, about an inch from the wall, during downpours, but he doesn't notice it when it only drizzles. From the outside pictures, it looks like the concrete path leading to the staircase is sloped towards the house, and there are some cracks in the foundation that he has been trying to seal. What are the best ways to resolve this issue?
2 Answers
It sounds like the main issues are poor grading and possibly some drainage problems. You want to make sure that the ground slopes away from your friend's house and that downspouts from the gutters are directing water at least 5-10 feet away from the foundation. It might help to add some soil around the house to adjust the slope. That could really help with the water pooling near the basement.
Definitely check those cracks and holes in the foundation! While a long-term solution would be to dig out the area outside and fix them from the outside, if that's too much right now, consider applying a waterproof sealant on those cracks temporarily. But keep in mind, you still need to address the grading and drainage issues to prevent further damage.
That makes sense! I hope the sealant will hold up until he can take care of the grading properly.