Renovation & Design
Renovation & Design
Leaking foundation a job best left to professionals
There are two related questions this week, so I will try to answer them in one shot.
Question — Since this crazy spring we have had water coming into the basement, but we’re just now really dealing with it, and there is more water than we thought. It looks like there are metal nails coming through the foundation walls, small holes, and inch-long vertical cuts, where water comes through when it rains. Normally we like to try and fix things ourselves, but I don’t love the idea of playing with the foundation, and with a newborn, we’re pretty busy. I’d like to get a professional to come in and fix everything, but not one company has replied to my messages. In the meantime, what can we do to stop/slow the water and if we put some type of product in now, will that make it more difficult for the professionals later?
— K. Cline.
Question — Following the three Colorado Lows we had in a row this spring, when the ground was already saturated, we discovered that we have a hairline crack in the basement wall of our 2002 house. The crack runs vertically under a window, and is about three feet in length. It does not run all the way down to the floor. Water was seeping in through the crack. The basement walls are insulated and there is a vapour barrier, so we have no idea how long the crack has been there.
I would appreciate your advice on how best to repair the crack. Is this something I can handle myself? Would it be best to hire a professional? I believe I can handle the repair myself, once I know the proper approach to take.
Thank you for your help.
— Terry P., Gonor
Answer — Repairs to a leaking concrete foundation are rarely minor in nature and should be done by an experienced professional. Some minor interior repairs may help for an interim time, but exterior excavation and repair may be the only way to stop the water and ensure a dry basement for a long time.
Following almost a decade of very dry to drought-like conditions in our area, this year has been a complete turn around. We have gone from below average precipitation levels, especially in the summer months, to record levels of rainfall for much of the spring and early summer. The above average snow accumulations from last winter helped to initially replenish the moisture in the dry soil, but relentless spring rains caused the over saturated soil to force water through many foundations and flooded fields and yards. So, many homeowners with years of dry basements suddenly were faced with moisture related issues, like both respondents above.
For those homeowners in question, once the clay-based soil outside your foundations becomes so full of water that it can’t absorb anymore, or oversaturated, it may be able to force that water through any openings in the concrete walls. The term hydrostatic pressure is often used to describe this phenomenon, which will take advantage of any cracks, holes, or even areas where the damp-proofing is deteriorated on the exterior. In older homes, the weeping tile system that is designed to collect and re-route this excess moisture may be blocked, damaged, or simply ineffective, making the problem much worse. For all these reasons, the only complete solution is excavation of the soil on the exterior of the foundation, installation of a waterproofing membrane, replacement of the weeping tiles, and backfilling with granular material that will drain better and prevent soil pressure.
There are some interior solutions that may work if there are only a few known areas of leakage through your rusted form ties, or the single vertical crack in the second respondent’s home. Initial patching of the holes or cracks with hydraulic cement can help prevent leakage, but normally for a very limited time. This should not affect any future exterior repairs, as the foundation contractors will rarely bother with any interior patching after the outside work is complete. So, that may be something you can initially attempt, but only if there are obvious holes where the metal form ties have rusted, or very small leaking cracks. These still may have to be chipped or drilled to remove rusted metal, or make openings large enough to hold the concrete patching material.
The most successful interior repair may be injection of epoxy into the cracks or holes to block the pathway for water entry. This method has been used for several decades, with good success, especially on vertical cracks that are not structural in nature. Also, this method may also be employed for the rusted-out form tie holes in the first inquiry, but may be very time consuming and expensive if there are more than a few areas of leakage. All of the cracks or holes have to be drilled to provide a large enough opening to inject the epoxy under pressure, which is labour intensive. While I have seen this done a few times by very resourceful homeowners, it is normally a professional service, which may be almost as costly as excavation, due to the high cost of the epoxy and the time involved. So, epoxy injection is normally only employed where exterior excavation is not easily accessible, or for small areas of leakage.
Drilling small cracks and openings in leaking foundation walls, before filling with concrete patching materials or injecting epoxy, may help temporarily stop seepage during the worst storms. But that may only be a stop-gap measure until you can get a reputable foundation contractor to your home. Exterior excavation, damp-proofing, and weeping tile upgrades (if older), will be the only way to successfully prevent moisture intrusion through the foundation walls for the foreseeable future.
Ari Marantz is the owner of Trained Eye Home Inspection Ltd. and a Registered Home Inspector (RHI)(cahpi.ca). Questions can be emailed to the address below. Ari can be reached at 204-291-5358 or check out his website at trainedeye.ca.
trainedeye@iname.com
Renovation & Design
There’s a reason cactus grows well in the desert
Question — I am determined to keep my brand-new cactus alive. How often should I water it? I think every day and my husband thinks once a week, should do the trick. Thank you, Renata
Answer — Water the cactus every 10 or 11 days. Feel the soil, to make sure it is dry before watering. Overwatering is the fastest way to kill this desert delight.
Question — Can you tell me how to bake a single pie crust so that it doesn’t shrink down in the pie plate while baking? Cindy
Answer — Some people freeze pie crusts before putting them into the oven, but here is an easy alternative. Place your dough into the pie plate and trim away the excess. Line the pie dough with foil and fill the plate with dried beans or rice to weigh down the crust and keep it from shrinking.
Bake 10 minutes, or until the crust is firm. Lift the pie to the counter, and gently remove foil, taking care not to tear the crust. Prick crust with a fork, brush with egg white and bake another five minutes, or until pale gold. Cool. Or put another pie plate the same size on top of the dough in your pie plate. Bake for a few minutes until the dough holds its shape and then remove the second plate.
Question — My Keurig suddenly stopped working. It makes a sound, but the water does not run out. Any suggestions? Clayton
Answer — The easiest process for descaling the machine is to run straight, vinegar through the machine a few times. Follow that process with water. If this does not fix the challenge, the machine may have a problem with the pump valve, which might need replacing.
Feedback from Contributor
Re: Allowing Pets to Eat Off People Dishes
The question about whether it’s safe to allow a dog to lick dirty plates before they are washed in the dishwasher is about whether this is sanitary. Dogs have bacteria in their mouths that could make a human sick (how could they not when they lick themselves?) The concern: is the water in the dishwasher hot enough and the soap used strong enough to kill the bacteria? Anonymous
Response: Great point, and what a hugely controversial topic! Various factors such as water temperature, and detergent will affect whether a dishwasher destroys bacteria; many experts agree that the dishwasher water and detergent are not sufficient in cleaning dishes licked by animals. According to Team Dogs, “plates licked by dogs can harbor hidden bacteria such as salmonella which cannot be destroyed by dishwashing.” (Country Living, Joyner, 2021). Also, in 2021 a restaurant in the U.S. received a warning when a customer was seen allowing a dog to eat off of a restaurant dish. The health inspector said that sharing utensils with pets is a violation, as the behavior is non-hygienic. (Kiro 7, 2021).
Tips of the Week
When cooking fried rice, cook the rice and place it into the fridge. When you stir fry it, the rice won’t stick together. Brittany
To speed up the healing time of a bruise, hold an ice pack on the surface for 10 minutes. Cornie
Keep homemade cookies fresh by storing an apple in the cookie container. Sheldon
If your cellphone gets caught in a rainstorm, place it in a container of rice for a couple of days to absorb the moisture and dry it out. Sheldon
Prevent mascara from clumping by putting a tiny bit of petroleum jelly (Vaseline) on your finger. Brush onto your eyelashes, and then apply the mascara. Alex
Have a great suggestion or tip? Please send an email at: info@reena.ca. Reena Nerbas is a popular motivational presenter for large and small groups; check out her website: reena.ca.
Renovation & Design
Elbow grease best fix for dull stainless-steel sink
Question — I had a badly clogged stainless-steel sink, and tried various unsuccessful methods, including chemicals, to unclog it before calling the plumber. Once the standing water had drained from the sink, I realized that the chemicals used had dulled the finish on my sink. Is there any way to restore the shiny finish? Learned my lesson, Margaret
Answer: The easiest method for restoring shine on stainless steel sinks, is to make a paste of baking soda and water. Use a green scrubby pad, scrub the surface. For really stained surfaces, substitute baking soda with washing soda. Wear protective gloves when using washing soda. Rinse with vinegar. Next wipe the surface with olive or mineral oil.
Question — Is it good manners to send a text as a thank you note for a gift? Cameron
Answer: Any thank you is better than no thank you at all; however, a text demonstrates much less effort and thought, compared to a handwritten letter. Consider the following factors: To whom are you writing? How precious was the gift? What was the occasion? Will the receiver appreciate a text note as a heartfelt gesture? Is it possible that the text will be overlooked? When in doubt… write it out.
Question — Often a recipe calls for a half teaspoon of lemon zest. The rest of the lemon goes into the garbage. If I were to zest the whole lemon, can lemon zest and lemon juice be frozen? What is the best way to do that? Marla
Answer: You never need to throw fresh lemon into the garbage. Either grate the entire lemon rind (excluding the stem) and place the zest into a sealable container and freeze (the juice also freezes well), or grate as much as you require and put the remainder of the whole, washed lemon into a sealable freezer bag. Seal the bag with the lemon inside and store in the freezer. Whenever you require zest, take the lemon out and use your grater to remove as much zest as you need from the frozen lemon. Place the remainder back inside the bag, and into the freezer for next time.
Save on Groceries
Did you know? Buying a whole chicken is often much cheaper than purchasing individual parts.
Farmer’s markets often reduce their prices later in the day. The same is true for some grocery stores, they mark food down in the evening.
Buy meat in bulk and break it up into portion sizes before freezing.
Even though bottled water is cheap, filling your reusable water bottle at home is even cheaper.
Smart container method: Store a plastic container or box in the fridge and fill it with food that is about to expire. Let family members know that when they cook, they must incorporate at least one food item from the plastic container into their meal.
Follow the sale patterns of your favourite grocery store. They will often put similar products on sale at the same time each month.
If you search for coupons online, you can save a bunch of money; it is worth the effort.
Review your receipt to make sure you were charged correctly. You worked too hard for your money to be mistakenly overcharged.
My absolute favourite tip is to utilize store reward cards. If you refuse, you are literally giving away money. You have nothing to lose, and every dollar helps. I love rewards cards!
Have a great suggestion or tip? Please send an email at: info@reena.ca. Reena Nerbas is a popular motivational presenter for large and small groups; check out her website: reena.ca.
