Water? Moisture? along basement walls

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CJPARKS

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I live in the Boston area. I bought a new house a little over a year old. Last weekend I noticed a strip of moisture about 2-inch wide along all four walls in my basement. It's not very damp when I touch it. More like the floor after mopping. Where does the moisture come from? Is it drawn into the basement by the negative pressure? Is it something to be concerned with? Thank you.
 

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Steve123

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The footings are poured, then the walls, then the floor slab.
Damp-proofing (tar) helps, but joints are not waterproof.
You should have a perimeter drain tile on the outside that drains to a sump pump pit, and is pumped out automatically.
Does your sump pump appear to be functioning ?
 

CJPARKS

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I don't have a sump pump in the basement. I know some houses also have a sump pump outside, but I don't think my house is like that either.
 
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