Hello all!
Last weekend, while removing an old carpet in a den in my basement I discovered that the cedar plank in one of the corners was discolored. I removed a few planks and found that the corner was very damp. The 2x4 joist was saturated and the insulation was nasty and stinky. The joist is still strong, but about 1/8'' -1/4'' of the outer wood is rotten and soft. This wall is a cedar plank wall and is above the ground level. The adjacent wall is brick, and the bottom 3 feet of the brick wall are below the ground level. The dampness is in the bottom corner where the two walls meet. The cedar wall is on a concrete slab. Directly outside is a brick patio. Regretfully, the patio is on about the same level as the slab.
I am attaching a few pictures of this corner from inside and outside of the house.
I suspect that the water in the corner could enter from the patio. The patio has good drainage. Even during strong rain, there are no standing paddles. But I suspect some water could collect at the corner. Alternatively, it could seep through the brick, but that wall is in the middle of the house and appears dry - the only wet spot is the corner.
Is there a way to protect a wall when the slab is on the same level as the outside? Should I add a trench around the outer perimeter or a plastic barrier? Could the water come through the brick? What should I do in this case?
I appreciate your expertise and feedback!
Last weekend, while removing an old carpet in a den in my basement I discovered that the cedar plank in one of the corners was discolored. I removed a few planks and found that the corner was very damp. The 2x4 joist was saturated and the insulation was nasty and stinky. The joist is still strong, but about 1/8'' -1/4'' of the outer wood is rotten and soft. This wall is a cedar plank wall and is above the ground level. The adjacent wall is brick, and the bottom 3 feet of the brick wall are below the ground level. The dampness is in the bottom corner where the two walls meet. The cedar wall is on a concrete slab. Directly outside is a brick patio. Regretfully, the patio is on about the same level as the slab.
I am attaching a few pictures of this corner from inside and outside of the house.
I suspect that the water in the corner could enter from the patio. The patio has good drainage. Even during strong rain, there are no standing paddles. But I suspect some water could collect at the corner. Alternatively, it could seep through the brick, but that wall is in the middle of the house and appears dry - the only wet spot is the corner.
Is there a way to protect a wall when the slab is on the same level as the outside? Should I add a trench around the outer perimeter or a plastic barrier? Could the water come through the brick? What should I do in this case?
I appreciate your expertise and feedback!
