Hi Everyone:
Some Background: I bought my present home a year ago. During that time I noticed that the basement floor developed white or discolored spots as a result of moisture. Within a few months, the paint that the previous owner used to hide this issue was peeling and crumbling. The cement base itself was a little soft in spots. Apparently, the house was built in an area that used to be a swamp. The ground water level is quite high. I actually have three pits with sump pumps working, which is unusual for a small house like mine.
So a few days ago there were heavy rains and a flood warning. I noticed that a couple of puddles started to form on the floor. One trickled across the laundry room to form a puddle at its center. It was not a dramatic event (I have had basement flooding before) but I am concerned.
My question is, would a French Drain fix this problem? Do I need to change the whole of the cement slab? Both these options are expensive and require a lot of excavation. What could ease this problem of ground water seepage?
I wanted to install a membrane floor with vapor barrier, but my concern is that the water that is trapped underneath would erode the integrity of the cement slab even further. Am I right?
Any thoughts would be appreciated!
Thanks!
-Charles
Some Background: I bought my present home a year ago. During that time I noticed that the basement floor developed white or discolored spots as a result of moisture. Within a few months, the paint that the previous owner used to hide this issue was peeling and crumbling. The cement base itself was a little soft in spots. Apparently, the house was built in an area that used to be a swamp. The ground water level is quite high. I actually have three pits with sump pumps working, which is unusual for a small house like mine.
So a few days ago there were heavy rains and a flood warning. I noticed that a couple of puddles started to form on the floor. One trickled across the laundry room to form a puddle at its center. It was not a dramatic event (I have had basement flooding before) but I am concerned.
My question is, would a French Drain fix this problem? Do I need to change the whole of the cement slab? Both these options are expensive and require a lot of excavation. What could ease this problem of ground water seepage?
I wanted to install a membrane floor with vapor barrier, but my concern is that the water that is trapped underneath would erode the integrity of the cement slab even further. Am I right?
Any thoughts would be appreciated!
Thanks!
-Charles