Leaky basement & Foundation

[Tifferjade]

I’m seeking some assistance on next steps for what I should do. Bit of a back story below, so there is a full picture of the issue. Thank you in advance for the help!!

Home was built in the early 1900’s and due to all this rain, I have noticed a bit of water getting into my basement and onto some of the vinyl flooring, making it wet. The previous owners simply laid the flooring on top of concrete, so I already know it is not done properly and it’s an unfinished basement. I don’t want the water to spread so I know I do have to replace the flooring.

The back wall (where the moisture is coming from), has some Efflorescence forming. That same wall also has a gas dryer and washer that is near impossible to move and it’s about 5-7” away from the wall. I’ve read online and it’s suggested to waterproof from the inside of the basement. But due to where the appliances are located, it seems that isn’t a plausible solution.

That same back wall, outside, it’s a brick wall and the previous owners built a deck that’s sitting just at the wall. The deck is 2ft tall and 14ft long, so I can crawl underneath.

I’ve read about “grading” around the home to help with water not getting inside and how to prepare for that. But before I crawl under the deck, I was hoping for some suggestions.

How am I to “grade” under a deck, since I’m not able to rake the dirt away as many posts suggest doing?

Am I just crawling under and digging the soil out with my hands, away from the brick wall/foundation and making the soil slope down a bit, away from the house? I do have a lot of stones I am able to add after, but I want to make sure I’m doing it right. I understand adding stones against the brick/foundation help with less water getting inside.

I’d rather not have to take the deck apart just to “grade” if I don’t have to as there’s nothing wrong with the deck and still in decent shape.
I assume since it’s such an old home that waterproof caulking wouldn’t be much help either. I’ve read online that another way to help waterproof, is to caulk the exterior.

Any advice to get this started would be so helpful! I really appreciate it.

Tiffany

 

[Steve123]

You say "brick" a couple of times - is foundation blocks, brick, combination of two, or poured concrete ? There are rarely simple solutions to basement water leakage, when you have a block foundation.

Proper grading is necessary but not sufficient to keep water out of your basement.

Google "wet basement name-of-my-town". There are lots of companies that all they do is fix your type of problem.

They can either try to fix the problem from the outside (required digging all around the house), or manage the water entry by some type of french drain on the inside. None of the options are cheap.

You can caulk, use waterproof paint, and even a few more of the Youtube solutions. I suppose it's part of the learning curve. At one point, you will be Googling "wet basement name-of-my-town".

 

[Steve123]

I understand adding stones against the brick/foundation help with less water getting inside.

What is the logic there? Water will run straight through gravel.

 

[DFBonnett]

Have you verified that the leaders carrying the water down from the gutters are discharging a sufficient distance from the foundation?