I have this spot that comes up through my concrete. There is no pattern for when this spot appears. We have had a plumber check the lines and everything appears to be great. The substance is a brown sticky substance the spot has never become better than the pictures any advice would be great.
Basement staining issue on concrete
- Thread starter bsshelley
- Start date
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Sorry, I got nothing. You could try using a hammer drill to drill a hole through the concrete and see if what ever it is bubbles up through the hole. That it is sticky is weird. When the plumber checked were there any drain lines in the vicinity?
There is defiantly something going on below the floor and only one way to figure out what it is. If it were mine I would mark out a rectangle on the floor and saw cut that section out and see what it is. For that to be forcing its way up thru 4” of concrete is quite a feat. The idea to drill a hole first is also good to help getting an idea. Eventually to solve the problem it will have to be dug up.
I just wonder if there is a pipe going under that spot, and if so what kind of pipe (assuming it is a drainage line). Did the plumber run a scope down your drain lines? What are your drain lines made of? PVC, clay, cast iron? What is the age of the house? There are ways to trace the plumbing lines without digging up the floor, and they can even be lined to seal leaks without digging up the floor assuming they aren't crushed.
BvilleBound
Well-Known Member
Another question, based in the color and your description that the substance is "sticky": Do you have a fuel oil tank and a line that runs to a furnace in your basement? These small lines are often embedded in the concrete slab, and can corrode over time due to the moisture that moves through concrete. If so, this is an urgent issue because pollution from a fuel oil tank can require costly remediation.
If the answer is no, this could be caused by a leaking drain / waste line as others have noted. Moisture moves relatively easily through concrete -- that's why basements often feel damp - and the moisture can carry other substances.
If it isn't a waste line, it could simply be something in the fill under your home - which moisture is carrying up through the concrete.
So here is a suggestion if a fuel oil line is ruled out: First, clean the area thoroughly and let it dry. Then paint the floor with Drylok sealant, which is carried by Home Depot and Lowes. See: DRYLOK® Masonry Products: Paint, Sealer, Concrete Waterproofing This will block / significantly reduce transmission of water vapor, and whatever it is carrying.
We painted all of our basement walls and floors with Drylok, as the first step in creating a dry and comfortable basement. If you are planning to upgrade your basement, please post another question and I can provide some tips.
If the answer is no, this could be caused by a leaking drain / waste line as others have noted. Moisture moves relatively easily through concrete -- that's why basements often feel damp - and the moisture can carry other substances.
If it isn't a waste line, it could simply be something in the fill under your home - which moisture is carrying up through the concrete.
So here is a suggestion if a fuel oil line is ruled out: First, clean the area thoroughly and let it dry. Then paint the floor with Drylok sealant, which is carried by Home Depot and Lowes. See: DRYLOK® Masonry Products: Paint, Sealer, Concrete Waterproofing This will block / significantly reduce transmission of water vapor, and whatever it is carrying.
We painted all of our basement walls and floors with Drylok, as the first step in creating a dry and comfortable basement. If you are planning to upgrade your basement, please post another question and I can provide some tips.
Jeff Handy
Well-Known Member
Maybe a scan with an infra-red camera will show a sewer or drain line going through that area.
You would have to run hot water through all the fixtures in the house for a few minutes.
If nothing showed up, then I would pour several buckets of very warm but not hot water down every toilet, then scan the area again.
If water is too hot, it can crack a toilet.
You would have to run hot water through all the fixtures in the house for a few minutes.
If nothing showed up, then I would pour several buckets of very warm but not hot water down every toilet, then scan the area again.
If water is too hot, it can crack a toilet.
