condoowner
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I posted on another forum so if some of you guys are on both forums, dont feel obligated to reply on both of them 
Hello!
I am preparing a pretty big foundation rehab project that I intend to do this summer on my 45 years old house. The existing drain tile is pretty much done and concrete needs water proofing. Additionally, I have about 6 or 7 cracks I need to get sealed. I will be performing the bulk of the job and been reading for more than a month now in codes, foruims, etc but I still have some questions.
I will contract out some portions of the work that I dont deem myself capable of doing (such as crack repairs, excavation, or anything structural by nature).
Anyways on to the questions! I added a picture to demonstrate for question 5, if other sketches or pictures are needed please dont hesitate to ask!
1. Some references are indicating that waterproofing needs to be applied over the footing, all the way down to the undisturbed soil while other references are indicating to leave the front (vertical) face of the footing "naked" saying that its better for the water to escape the concrete.... Not sure of the physics here but does it make a huge difference?
2. The former owner was fond of electrical stuff... As a result he drilled holes in the foundation walls to pass cables. I will be removing all of that and need to permanently plug these holes. Largest that I know is about 3 inches. Do you guys have a recommendation of the proper products to use? I am thinking of something that either expands a little, or at least doesnt shrink. After all it will be behind the waterproof layer (Bakor aqua bloc 720-38 + Delta MS dimple)...
3. The existing pipe connecting the drain tile to the basement sump has an inverse slope leading to the sump (water has to "climb" up the pipe -> bad original installation). I will get somebody to drill and install a new pipe and the hole will need to be drilled thru the footing. According to my sketches and assumptions, the hole will be flush with the bottom of the footing (because it needs to connect to the drain tile which will be at the same level as the footing bottom face).
Any structural issues doing so? Do I need to get some sealant or something injected between the pipe and the footing?
5. I need to demo a concrete slab (6-8in thick) on the side of my house. I suppose the're some kind of rebar or steel reinforcemnt because the slab is over 40 years old and only has small hairline cracks. As far as I can tell, it has no footing (simple monolithic pour). I was recommended this product which will require about a hundred holes be drilled.... Dexpan 11 lb. Bucket (3 Types)
Another solution would be jackhammer, or even renting a small excavator with a jackhammer. I've never demo'd such a large amount of concrete before and fear it will take forever and/or I will injure myself... Am I overthinking this?
5. See attached sketch. Biggest unknown on this project is with the garage which was built one year after the house. The original drain tile for the house runs below the garage concrete slab along the footing of the house. Unfortunately this section of drain (about 27 feet long) wont be replaced during the project because I'd have to break too much concrete in the garage..
My intention is to simply put a Tee on both ends of the "unreachable" section of drain, and extend the new drain tile around the garage. I am told that normally slab on grade dont need drainage. The garage has small traces of moisture and efflorescence which indicates a bit of moisture in the concrete. No big deal because its almost 50 years old and appears structurally sound but if I can improve things, I will. Is it OK to install drain tile provided the concrete goes deep enough (like a 4ft stem wall)? That would imply waterproofing the concrete, and installing the drain with coarse backfill, geotextile, etc.......
I am not sure how deep the garage foundation goes but where I am, frost line is 48in deep. The garage siding is brick on all 3 walls (4th being the exterior wall of the house). No signs of movement or cracks in the concrete or bricks or windows/doors. last weekend I dug by hand, and after 24in deep, I still couldnt see the edge of whatever would have looked like a footing or edge of a monolithic slab. My feeling is that its stem walls going all the way to frost line.
For the wall that is not accessible from the outside, I wont be able to waterproof. Is it a big deal?
Final question: sump pump discharge line needs to be re-routed. I intend to run a 4in PVC pipe from the house to the city storm ditch but due to distance I cannot be buried below frost line and maintain a reasonable slope.... (total run is almost 180ft) as I would end up below the ditch. I intend to run the pipe about 2 feet below ground, and install a heating tape/wire for when its really cold. This is a drain so normally it shouldnt freeze right?
I am really curious to see what you guys are thinking about this stuff!
Hello!
I am preparing a pretty big foundation rehab project that I intend to do this summer on my 45 years old house. The existing drain tile is pretty much done and concrete needs water proofing. Additionally, I have about 6 or 7 cracks I need to get sealed. I will be performing the bulk of the job and been reading for more than a month now in codes, foruims, etc but I still have some questions.
I will contract out some portions of the work that I dont deem myself capable of doing (such as crack repairs, excavation, or anything structural by nature).
Anyways on to the questions! I added a picture to demonstrate for question 5, if other sketches or pictures are needed please dont hesitate to ask!
1. Some references are indicating that waterproofing needs to be applied over the footing, all the way down to the undisturbed soil while other references are indicating to leave the front (vertical) face of the footing "naked" saying that its better for the water to escape the concrete.... Not sure of the physics here but does it make a huge difference?
2. The former owner was fond of electrical stuff... As a result he drilled holes in the foundation walls to pass cables. I will be removing all of that and need to permanently plug these holes. Largest that I know is about 3 inches. Do you guys have a recommendation of the proper products to use? I am thinking of something that either expands a little, or at least doesnt shrink. After all it will be behind the waterproof layer (Bakor aqua bloc 720-38 + Delta MS dimple)...
3. The existing pipe connecting the drain tile to the basement sump has an inverse slope leading to the sump (water has to "climb" up the pipe -> bad original installation). I will get somebody to drill and install a new pipe and the hole will need to be drilled thru the footing. According to my sketches and assumptions, the hole will be flush with the bottom of the footing (because it needs to connect to the drain tile which will be at the same level as the footing bottom face).
Any structural issues doing so? Do I need to get some sealant or something injected between the pipe and the footing?
5. I need to demo a concrete slab (6-8in thick) on the side of my house. I suppose the're some kind of rebar or steel reinforcemnt because the slab is over 40 years old and only has small hairline cracks. As far as I can tell, it has no footing (simple monolithic pour). I was recommended this product which will require about a hundred holes be drilled.... Dexpan 11 lb. Bucket (3 Types)
Another solution would be jackhammer, or even renting a small excavator with a jackhammer. I've never demo'd such a large amount of concrete before and fear it will take forever and/or I will injure myself... Am I overthinking this?
5. See attached sketch. Biggest unknown on this project is with the garage which was built one year after the house. The original drain tile for the house runs below the garage concrete slab along the footing of the house. Unfortunately this section of drain (about 27 feet long) wont be replaced during the project because I'd have to break too much concrete in the garage..
My intention is to simply put a Tee on both ends of the "unreachable" section of drain, and extend the new drain tile around the garage. I am told that normally slab on grade dont need drainage. The garage has small traces of moisture and efflorescence which indicates a bit of moisture in the concrete. No big deal because its almost 50 years old and appears structurally sound but if I can improve things, I will. Is it OK to install drain tile provided the concrete goes deep enough (like a 4ft stem wall)? That would imply waterproofing the concrete, and installing the drain with coarse backfill, geotextile, etc.......
I am not sure how deep the garage foundation goes but where I am, frost line is 48in deep. The garage siding is brick on all 3 walls (4th being the exterior wall of the house). No signs of movement or cracks in the concrete or bricks or windows/doors. last weekend I dug by hand, and after 24in deep, I still couldnt see the edge of whatever would have looked like a footing or edge of a monolithic slab. My feeling is that its stem walls going all the way to frost line.
For the wall that is not accessible from the outside, I wont be able to waterproof. Is it a big deal?
Final question: sump pump discharge line needs to be re-routed. I intend to run a 4in PVC pipe from the house to the city storm ditch but due to distance I cannot be buried below frost line and maintain a reasonable slope.... (total run is almost 180ft) as I would end up below the ditch. I intend to run the pipe about 2 feet below ground, and install a heating tape/wire for when its really cold. This is a drain so normally it shouldnt freeze right?
I am really curious to see what you guys are thinking about this stuff!
