please help with mold on basement brick wall

[miker1977]

Hello all,

I'm hoping to finish my basement to add an extra room for listening to music. The basement has brick walls. One corner has mold growing on it. When I bought the house I painted three coats of Dry Lock on the bricks walls and the mold is still forming on that corner.

I installed a dehumidifier that drains outside. Yes, I jimmy rigged it with a condensation pump drain outside. It didn't help the mold.

I spoke to two contractors. The first contractor said I have a hydraulic water problem, basically ground water making the bricks wet. He wants to break the concrete and install a drain pipe on the outside of the house, to drain the water away from the house. The contractor quoted me $10,000 for the drain.

The second contractor wants to install an E-Z Breathe system. I think it just brings fresh air into the house from outside. I don't think I like the sound of that. He wants $2400 to install the machine.

Am I overthinking this? Is it just a simple minor problem that I can handle myself. I'd rather fix it myself, with friends.

 

[nealtw]

The first guy has the correct repair in mind. Get more quotes on that same job.

 

[joecaption]

Trying to treat it from the inside is a total waste of time.
Anything to really address the issue needs to be done outside.
Post some pictures of the outside in that general area, no close ups needed.
Working gutters with downspouts at least 4' from the foundation, grade running away from the foundation. no mulch or flower beds forming ponds against the foundation.

 

[Steve123]

I agree with the other guys that a proper repair needs to be done from the outside. But you say he wants to "break the concrete" --- what concrete does he want to break? Normally the outside earth is dug up, drain tile covered in gravel at the bottom, leading to sump pump, goop on the wall, and plastic dimple membrane overtop. Concrete or brick is actually very porous to water/moisture, so normally a "damp-proofing" is applied to the outside of the foundation wall when constructed. It will keep water from soaking into/through your concrete or brick, but it is not a "waterproofing" - that is a different. If you are going to finish your basement, you want a contractor to tell you that wall is guaranteed from leaking.

 

[joecaption]

$10,000! There has to be more to the story, adding a location to your profile would help a lot.
Huge difference in labor rates from different locations.
Without a picture no one knows what your dealing with.