Here's my plea for some advice in case any of you have had this problem.
Right after Christmas we got a heavy, heavy rainfall that melted almost 2 feet of snow while I was in out of town. My basement flooded, but my good friends found it in time to vacuum up the water and put fans on it to dry out the carpet. My condo association thought it was probably a one-time event due to the melting snow and heavy rain.
About three weeks ago we got another big rain and it flooded again. Until I left a week later I was still vacuuming up water although a small amount--maybe a half cup from the carpet once/twice a day. It rained while I was gone again and another friend vacuumed up water twice a day. I continued to vacuum water and keep the fan on it. By last Friday I was no longer getting much water, but water was still coming in. The condo maintenance guy took off four sheets of paneling and found no crack. He then pulled up a corner of the carpet and found water coming in the corner; he thought it was between the floor and walls even though neither of us could see a crack. I've been able to keep an old blanket stuffed in the corner to keep the carpet from getting wet since then.
On Wednesday a de-watering systems guy came and took a look at it. He wants to tear up about a 2'x2' section of the floor in the corner and he said he could tell right away what the problem is.
Then he went outside and saw where water had moved dirt into the basement window well. The window well is about 1.5' deep and maybe 2.5' wide. We ended up using a hose to see water flowing into the window well and when it filled enough seep in the window and down the wall. Because of the insulation and furing (???) strips the paneling didn't get wet.
He thinks there are two issues. Obviously the window well needs to get sealed against the concrete wall.
My question is do I solve one problem at a time as my Herman Miller Production System (same as Toyota Production System for those of you who know that) problem solving tells to do or do I go ahead and have the window well fixed and have the floor torn up?
Somehow tearing up the floor seems like it could result in so many more issues, but I also know coming into a spring rainy season that I don't want to continue vacuuming up water 3-4 times a day every time it rains.
Any advice would be appreciated.
--Rhoda
6 comments:
Being well versed in TPS (HMPS) I would have to say that sealing the window well first, without tearing up the floor is the way go. It is the most likely cause as you were able to turn this issue on and off though the use of the garden hose. You have identified one of the causes, so eliminate it and see what happens. Is the window anywhere near the corner where you put the towel down? EDK
I'm very sympathetic to your plight, Rhoda. However, I have no suggestions to help you out! It's nice you have good friends close by to temporarily help you.
I'm with Eric. Fix the window and see if that does it. Tearing up the floor seems like a really big deal. Plus if you ever sell the place, having had a hole in the floor will cause buyers to be nervous, so I wouldn't do it unless I really had to.
Rhoda---I agree--do not tear up the floor until you see what happens with the window well---AND they do make a plastic cover that is clear (some are tinted b lue) that will fit right over the window well----it fastens (calked) to the house and then will not let any rain or run off water go in the well---As I sit here--I can look over at my neighbors and see his cover---attractive--efficient--good solution----NEXT look for a down spot that is dumping water near the foundation and not away from the house----try there first!!
Jerry
Rhoda, when you ran the hose in the window well did the water come through by the floor and wall or just in the window & do you have a sump pump. I am currently working on a couple of houses in Gridley solving the same problem, maybe I can help. Casey
Casey,
The sump pump is at the end of my building--four units away. There was some thought that the drain for the sump pump was clogged between my unit and the sump pump, but this guy said they really can't snake it because of concrete walls between units and the turn.
There was some water coming in between the wall and floor, but I don't know if it was from the window well or still coming in from another issue.
I'm probably not much help, but I'm not real versed in these types of issues.
Thanks for everyone's help!
Rhoda
Post a Comment