Concrete/Foundation Repair??

[mirvin]

Any foundation fixers here??? I'm having a problem that appears to be "seepage"........basically I gots water coming into my garage by way of the ground/foundation/stucco :confused: THe floor is wet, the lower portion of the stucco wall and interior framing is wet. THere's not moisture on the upper portion nor can I find anything related to a leaking roof.....The garage is the only portion of the house that is on a slab. The rest of the structure is raised.
Anyone??
Thanks in advance.
mirvin

[Mandelon]

What is going on outside the wall? Sounds like the soil level may be to high on the backside? Moisture may be coming in under the sole plate?

[Hustler]

Contact Danhercules here on the boards, thats his specialty.

[mirvin]

THat's what I thought also. I noticed this problem last weekend and did some research and based on that research I put up rain gutters over the affected area. I also brought the outside soil level down to where it should be as it was about 1 to 2 feet above the inside floor level in that areal. At that time I only noticed a couple of spots on the wall that were "weaping". After installing the gutters and adjusting the soil level the whole area is totally saturated. It seems like I just made things worse :rollside:
My insurance company wants me to get a pro out to look at it quick....
mirvin

[LHC30Victory]

Funny you should ask about this. Everytime we get a good rain there is a spot in my garage that is noticibly wet. It is not near the walls but in the middle. No pipes running underneath. Is it a problem?

[mirvin]

Contact Danhercules here on the boards, thats his specialty.
Thanks Hustler.
Mandy, my previous post was in response to your post.
mirvin :boxed:

[mirvin]

Funny you should ask about this. Everytime we get a good rain there is a spot in my garage that is noticibly wet. It is not near the walls but in the middle. No pipes running underneath. Is it a problem?
I've had that happen a couple time too. That's why I think I have a foundation problem as well as whatever is happening in my wall.
mirvin

[Hustler]

No problem,just make sure he does'nt see the keg before he gets the work done :D

[mirvin]

No problem,just make sure he does'nt see the keg before he gets the work done :D
I haven't seen him on here lately....you think he'll get the pm??
mirvin
:p

[pgf127rt]

Mirvin, Mandelon is probably right on, a flower bed or just a build up of silts along a foundation wall can cause moisture to get under the plate on the house, I am a concrete contractor here in Texas, and also do repairs on leaking problems such as you are having, in 90% of the cases it is caused by no drainage at the plate line, ideal is about 5" of relief below, you can get by with less as long as the drainage is positive and can't back up to a level above the plate.
If this is not the problem, check for structural cracks in the stucco, as water can wick through a hairline crack given all of the rain and wind you all are having out there.

[mirvin]

Mirvin, Mandelon is probably right on, a flower bed or just a build up of silts along a foundation wall can cause moisture to get under the plate on the house, I am a concrete contractor here in Texas, and also do repairs on leaking problems such as you are having, in 90% of the cases it is caused by no drainage at the plate line, ideal is about 5" of relief below, you can get by with less as long as the drainage is positive and can't back up to a level above the plate.
If this is not the problem, check for structural cracks in the stucco, as water can wick through a hairline crack given all of the rain and wind you all are having out there.
Thanks pgf. I'm pretty sure that's is what going on. Adding to the problem is that I have Adobe soil :yuk:
How much moisture can the stucco take before it needs to be torn out and redone? THe lower portions of the framing have noticable water stains but I don't see any deterioration.
mirvin

[pgf127rt]

Mirvin the stucco on your house is probably the synthetic type like most builders spray on a foam type board backing, if not it would be the 3 part on lath which is the most durable of the 2 processes, as it has the ability to dry out due to the air space between the lath and the wall. If it is notceably cracked and deteriorating due to the moisture, I would contact the builder if he is still around or find a plaster contractor to repair it asap.
On the problem with water coming up in the interior garage floor during heavy rains, there is water ponding somewhere and it is percolating up through the nearest relief which can be a hairline crack in the floor, drainage away from your foundation is critical to the structural integrity of your investment.
As yall usally get a lot less rain in California per year than we do problems like this build up in dry dusty times and come to a head during a monsoon as you are having now. Good Luck.

[mirvin]

Mirvin the stucco on your house is probably the synthetic type like most builders spray on a foam type board backing, if not it would be the 3 part on lath which is the most durable of the 2 processes, as it has the ability to dry out due to the air space between the lath and the wall. If it is notceably cracked and deteriorating due to the moisture, I would contact the builder if he is still around or find a plaster contractor to repair it asap.
On the problem with water coming up in the interior garage floor during heavy rains, there is water ponding somewhere and it is percolating up through the nearest relief which can be a hairline crack in the floor, drainage away from your foundation is critical to the structural integrity of your investment.
As yall usally get a lot less rain in California per year than we do problems like this build up in dry dusty times and come to a head during a monsoon as you are having now. Good Luck.
Sounds good pgf. My house was built in '39 so I think I have the old style lathe. From the looks of the stains on the black paper I think this has been happening for a very long time. I do have a drainage issue in that area so I'll have to take care of that too.
Thanks again.
mirvin
:)

[Waist Deep]

Waterproofing is our specialty, so any questions, feel free to ask. If it's close to HB or vicinity, I'll look at it 4 ya 4 free.

[mirvin]

Waterproofing is our specialty, so any questions, feel free to ask. If it's close to HB or vicinity, I'll look at it 4 ya 4 free.
I'm in Torrance:eek: Not too far but far enough to need to get paid :wink:
When things dry up I'll get ahold of you, unless you think it should happen sooner?
mirvin

[Riverhound]

Mirvin,
A little off topic, but great show last night at the HOB, you guys rocked! :D
sorry can't help you on the water issue. :rolleyes:

[plaster dave]

Give me some pics. to look at and I can tell you right know if its stucco or ground related. Or give me a call 818-402-2769 Plaster Dave

[Mandelon]

What's the condition of the vapor retarder/ tarpaper? Is it still in good shape? If its just flaking apart its been getting wet for a long time.
Without a stem wall you soil should be below the slab height as was mentioned above. At least a few inches. I see flat work up against that weep screed all the time. On your age builidng there probably won't be a weep screed.

[pgf127rt]

Sounds good pgf. My house was built in '39 so I think I have the old style lathe. From the looks of the stains on the black paper I think this has been happening for a very long time. I do have a drainage issue in that area so I'll have to take care of that too.
Thanks again.
mirvin
:)
Mirvin, I know exactly what is wrong with your house, I was born that year and it is definitely old age, I have the same symptoms, leaking, creaking, and cranky as hell,J/K hope you get it resolved.

[mirvin]

Mirvin,
A little off topic, but great show last night at the HOB, you guys rocked! :D
sorry can't help you on the water issue. :rolleyes:
Right on RIverHound!! Thanks for making it out for a good cause:smile: I met you at the Gypsy Lounge right???
I'll be doing some trenching and waterproofing and then a whole mess of moving mud and soil around to allow for proper drainage. Then if I'm still game I'll be pooring a bunch of concrete.........
Oh, Mandelon, the vapor paper.....other then being stained from years of this happening, it was in ok condition until I decided it was a good idea to tear it to see what was happening behind it.....oh well, That just means the whole exterior wall will be getting a good coat of waterproofing too now.....
Huge special grande thanks to John (21Daytona) for coming out and taking care of me!!! I owe you one..or two. And thanks everyone else....Mandelon, Plaster Dave, pgf, Hustler...and anyone I may have missed. I think we've got the problem taken care of for now.
mirvin :cool:

[Mandelon]

Get some spray glue, like Mag 77 (?) and glue on a new piece of stucco paper over the tear. Try to piece the torn part back in. Waterproofing over stucco is not a great idea, at least in living space, cuz the stucco can't let moisture out. I guess in a garage though its no big deal. If you ever drywall it, make sure to use Hardibacker, or DensArmor in that area or any area exposed to moisture, and hold the bottom sheet up from the slab by 3/4".

[ROZ]

Huge special grande thanks to John (21Daytona) for coming out and taking care of me!!! I owe you one..or two. And thanks everyone else....Mandelon, Plaster Dave, pgf, Hustler...and anyone I may have missed. I think we've got the problem taken care of for now.
mirvin :cool:
So what happpened and how was it cured?

[mirvin]

So what happpened and how was it cured?
Well for now it's cured cuz the rain stopped:p Just kidding. The problem was a combination of a real old house and poor drainage multiplied by adobe soil and too much friggin water :rollside: And theres' no sill plate in that area:confused:
Anyways, it will be solved by trenching and waterproofing. I'm also going to fix the drainage issue as well as fix the torn paper on the interior. Oh and I did put 40 feet of rain gutter above the area......
Like I said before, ( I think), form the looks of the stains on stucco paper this has been happening for many many years. My main concern was making sure there wasn't any catastrophic damage that had occurred or was occurring. It's just something I had assumed had been previously fixed because I had never actually seen it wet since I bought the house 7 years ago.
So Mandelon, you don't like the idea of waterproofing the entire exterior wall?? I understand why, just looking for clarification. Isn't that why "Texture Coating" is such a bad idea, cuz the house can't "breathe"?
mirvin :boxed:

[mirvin]

Get some spray glue, like Mag 77 (?) and glue on a new piece of stucco paper over the tear. Try to piece the torn part back in. Waterproofing over stucco is not a great idea, at least in living space, cuz the stucco can't let moisture out. I guess in a garage though its no big deal. If you ever drywall it, make sure to use Hardibacker, or DensArmor in that area or any area exposed to moisture, and hold the bottom sheet up from the slab by 3/4".
Hey Mandelon, I just noticed that the exterior sealer I'll be using says that it is "breathable". I'll be fixing the stucco paper per your suggestion also.
Thanks again,
mirvin:D

[Mandelon]

No bottom plate? Did it rot away? Are the studs just sitting on the slab....I can send some gum to help hold it together...LOL :redface:

[mirvin]

No bottom plate? Did it rot away? Are the studs just sitting on the slab....I can send some gum to help hold it together...LOL :redface:
Oops, I was wrong about that. I guess what I'm trying to say is that there's no cement edge sticking out past the stucco. It's hard cuz I'm not real sure of the terminoligy here. On one side of my house there's what appears to be a little mini "curb" that runs along the bottom exterior edge of the stucco. Maybe from the joint to the bottom of the slab. This curb has a sloped top edge and is higher then the soil level next to it. In the area I'm having a problem ther isn't one of these "curbs". The dirt just touches the stucco.
Maybe I'll shoot some pics tonight......:D
mirvin

[Danhercules]

I haven't seen him on here lately....you think he'll get the pm??
mirvin
:p
I did not see a PM. Call me. 714-231-5434