Anybody got experience with B-Dry System?

[DJD]

If anyone has a sump pump with a well or holding tank/pipe I would recommend monitoring the water level with your security system. I have seen several pumps fail and the homeowner doesn't find out until they have a flooded basement which could be days after the pump failed. This way if the water level hits the contact you will be notified at any time.

[Moveon]

This may work and get the job done. Just make sure that you slope the trench properly so that the water runs around the house and doesn't put pressure on the foundation and basement wall.

B dry works and it's much cheaper than what use to be done to waterproof basements. It's also less messy that digging a trench inside the basement. I use to be one of the guys that used a jack hammer to break up the concrete along the inside perimeter of the basement. I also had to help dig the trench, and haul all the dirt out of the house in buckets by hand. It's a hard job and takes about a week to get down the old way. The B-Dry system put my old company out of the waterproofing business as it was much easier to do and worked just a well from what I understand.

I worked for a company that did basement water proofing back in 1997. B-dry came into business here about that same time.

I'd ask for references and then follow up with the references to see how the job was done and how it's working.

[Moveon]

Excellent advice!

Some real good advice here Brian. I would explore in depth the grading and channeling of water away from your house first and foremost as this neeeds to be done regardless of if it fixes the issue or not. Then watch on the next big rain event, don't worry around here that won't take long and SEE and WATCH where it is coming in. This may be a very isolated area that a small patch with hydraulic cement will fix along with the grading.

I know you want to get it buttoned back up, but study the leak first, determine exactly whre it's coming in and then make a game plan. B-Dry if you so decide to go with do quality work. In Louisville they have the number 1 rated service for there type of work with the BBB here in town and many swear by them. However it may not come to all that. I would like to see your outside grading, man I almost bet some drain work and some extensions off of your downspouts could fix your issue...


Waterdog's drain idea is spot on and can't be done where the patio is, however would be a good idea for both sides. It can roll around and pool in the back causing issue. They only caviat I may add to what he advised would be to add a soil membrane or slit cloth on top of the perforated pipe before backfilling with 57 rock and then the topsoil..

[Moveon]

LIke I said in another post I have water in my crawl space. One of my neighbors down the street also have water problems and he had the same builder. The neighbor sued the builder and forced him to fix the problem. But that's in Indiana. I think the neighbor said that he did this within ten years from the date of purchase. I'm not sure if the neighbor was the first owner or not. He's handicapped an in a wheel chair for the rest of his life. They got an attorney that didn't live and work in our county. As the builder is connected politically to a lot of people in our county. Smart move on my neighbor's part. His wife works for a city in our county and knows a lot of people too.

Slipshot have you contacted a lawyer about this issue? Was there anything noted about past problems on the disclosure form? What about the inspection report? Have you talked to any of the neighbors about the previous owners mentioning water issues in the basement or perhaps seeing foundation companies at the property? I know nobody likes to sue anyone but with this purchase just happening and finding water I would consult an attorney about going after the sellers, inspection company, and even the listing agent. If you are willing to spend 7k on B Dry perhaps having an attorney draft a letter to all three parties and doing some saber rattling might get you some resolution. I wish you the best on this outcome.

[Moveon]

I saw this in another post in this tread. But someon else mentioned using a water pressure type pump as a back up. I've not see these but think I know what he was talking about. It works on water pressure of the city water supply lines. In case of a power outage the city water pressure should still be there to drive the sump pump.

But the idea of having the system connected to a security system is a good idea.

I hope you get this fixed.

PS: One more short story. I found the floor on my spare bedroom had fallen down 2". I found out that the water in the crawl space had caused the ends of the floor joyces to rot and this made the floor at that corner of the room to fall down 2".

I had to pay someone to fix the floor joyces and prop the floor back up.

Water in a crawl space can make the wood floor material absorb water vapor and rot over time. This is most prevelant on the NW corner of the house where the cold winter winds blow on this side of the house. This corner of the house will be colder than the rest of the house and the water vapor will condense onto the wood and cause it to absorb moisture.

PSS: Excessive moiture will cause mold to grow in the crawl space or behind the drywall in a basement. To get rid of the mold you have to get rid of the excessive moisture. The B-DRy system will help get rid of the moisture which will stop the mold from growing.

Mold needs dark moist warm conditions before it can grow and reproduce it's spores. Spores can persist for very long periods of times before they start to grow. If they don't have the right conditions to grow they will remain dormant.

PSS: many home insurance policies won't cover mold damage anymore. The companies found out it cost too much to fix the mold problem. And my insurance company failed to cover the damage to my floor. They said I didn't have flood insurance. I don't even live by a river or stream for that matter. It's just regular rain water that drains though the yard during heavy rains.

If anyone has a sump pump with a well or holding tank/pipe I would recommend monitoring the water level with your security system. I have seen several pumps fail and the homeowner doesn't find out until they have a flooded basement which could be days after the pump failed. This way if the water level hits the contact you will be notified at any time.

[MrSplitshot]

It is a form joint, I believe, yes....I say that because you can see a place where there is rust, which I think comes off the materials that hold it in place while pouring?

My only concern with B-Dry is that my basement is finished....I've obviously cut out the drywall where this form joint leak is, which they will be able to put their rigid sealer on....but they won't be able to do that anywhere else. They'll build the interior trench, drill the holes to relieve the pressure, and do their whole deal....I just wonder how well that prevents more cracks/leaks in the future in other areas around the basement? My basement is big, not a walk-out...I think 200 linear feet around the perimeter. If it relieves the pressure and directs the water down into their new draining system, I guess it does ok. I qualified with the guy that IF I spring any kind of foundation leak, whether it's floor, under/above the footer, or up higher on the wall....it's covered and they come fix it. (Granted, they don't replace carpet and drywall...but that's the cheap part.)

[MrSplitshot]

If anyone has a sump pump with a well or holding tank/pipe I would recommend monitoring the water level with your security system. I have seen several pumps fail and the homeowner doesn't find out until they have a flooded basement which could be days after the pump failed. This way if the water level hits the contact you will be notified at any time.

Good advice. I have a Smith & Wesson Security system, so all I did to tie in to that was go to Lowes and buy some of those "water alarms" that run on 9V batteries. I've got one next to my sump well, next to my hot water heater, next to my washing machine...

[Shellkat]

Most companys take care of of your leak inside your house, but guess what you still have a leak and water in your house. These companys do this by channeling to a pump, the water is still in the house, just not running out in the floor. You can have a cracked wall and not have a leak. Two things keep a basement or crawl dry, gutters draining away from house and positive grade. Positive grade means you have at least 6 inches of fall in 10 feet. Very small holes next to walls can gather water and ack as a funnel. Mulch next to a walle can appear to build up grade, but you just added a giant sponge to your funnel. Most homes have drain tile around the house, is the end still exposed, did the sod guy cover it up, did the homeowner plant a tree on it, the list goes on.

[MrSplitshot]

Most companys take care of of your leak inside your house, but guess what you still have a leak and water in your house. These companys do this by channeling to a pump, the water is still in the house, just not running out in the floor. You can have a cracked wall and not have a leak. Two things keep a basement or crawl dry, gutters draining away from house and positive grade. Positive grade means you have at least 6 inches of fall in 10 feet. Very small holes next to walls can gather water and ack as a funnel. Mulch next to a walle can appear to build up grade, but you just added a giant sponge to your funnel. Most homes have drain tile around the house, is the end still exposed, did the sod guy cover it up, did the homeowner plant a tree on it, the list goes on.

Gotcha.

The back of my house is entirely Deck and Mulch. Supposedly, the builder that built the house uses drain tile on the outside and inside of the footer...all routed to the sump well and pumped out. There's a line coming out of the side of the house that appears to run all the way down, under the sidewalk, and tie into a storm drain. (Which I didn't think you could do.) It doesn't daylight anywhere.

Coincidentally, the area of my form joint leak is right around where the deck ends. There are 6x6 piers set in the ground there, but in talking to the old homeowner he said that they are fairly shallow....set in 2' of concrete....not tied to the house or foundation at all. (It's a flat ground-level deck, because my backyard is basically flat. I don't see too much grade away from the house...maybe a little. The downspouts on the back corners go into the ground with black plastic accordian stuff....and I can't find where they daylight. ??

[Shellkat]

I seen alot, we had a new house(400 grand) with a leak, found the leak was where the plummer ran water in and didnot seal both sides of wall. Had a leak on another that had a short wall below basement, real common on walkouts, punched in some drains and it was like they opened a sluice gate below wolf creek. All of our new homes have interior and exterior along the footer now. These drains are daylighted with hard pipe. That black flex pipe will crush and the ridges collect dirt and eventually clog. Hard pipe can be unstopped. Like I said in earlier post most houses have foundations drains, did they get damaged, covered, inverted flow( just because the end is lower than the beginning with a sag in the middle does not mean it drains). If you cant stop the water coming in, channel the water around the edges, add some rocks, fish and have a. indoor stream.You still have water in the house.

[Shellkat]

Like I said estimates are free. If that deck is causing a problem and you cant get under it, take that money and build a roof over it, get your gutters fixed remember your putting 2000sq foot of water in a 4 inch holes, if water is running to you do something to divert it. This can be done wirh landscaping, not just mulch. Consider your house is your boat, if its leaking do you add a bilge pump, when leak gets worse, bigger pump. No try something outside first.

[MrSplitshot]

Like I said estimates are free. If that deck is causing a problem and you cant get under it, take that money and build a roof over it, get your gutters fixed remember your putting 2000sq foot of water in a 4 inch holes, if water is running to you do something to divert it. This can be done wirh landscaping, not just mulch. Consider your house is your boat, if its leaking do you add a bilge pump, when leak gets worse, bigger pump. No try something outside first.

Alright, Shellkat....What's the name of your company? You're starting to make sense. LOL Do you all do all of that kind of work, or just grading?