In this episode, Richard Comeras (aks “The Crackman”) share the story about the mysterious source of soaked carpet in a finished basement. Listen and enjoy!
Narrator: It’s time once again for the “Crack Man Podcast” hosted by A1 Foundation Crack Repair. We’re here with the Crackman himself, Rich Comeras. Rich has 30 years of experience in the construction industry and over 20 years experience as the President and founder of A1 Foundation and Crack Repair Inc. His podcasts provides expert basement waterproofing, concrete repair, and preventative maintenance tips for homeowners and businesses. A1 Foundation’s valuable insight will help avert a disastrous flood within the basement, health problems associated with water infiltration within the basement, and protect your biggest investment….your home. The topic for today’s podcast: What to do about a basement water leak behind a finished wall.
Narrator: So Rich, I can only imagine how frustrating it must be if you went down to your man cave in your finished basement soon after finishing the walls and the flooring only to discover a water leak. So what does one do after this discovery?
Crackman: We get this call all the time. In fact this morning I get a call from this guy with this issue. What I had him do is first to go look outside. If it’s a poured concrete foundation you have to go look outside above the grade where the concrete shows to see if there are any cracks in the foundation. If you see any, you can bet that it goes all the way down and all the way through the foundation’s wall. That crack must be repaired. Sorry to say you must be willing to open up that wall so that the source of the problem can be repaired.
Sometimes you don’t see a crack, so what do you do? You don’t know where the water is coming in. So you start by putting a garden hose outside and watch the wall from inside to see where the water is coming from. It could be coming from where the cement wall and the cement floor meet. Or, it could be an issue with tie rods that are part of the original construction which can rust and allow water to come through. So you have to do a little forensic investigation. In most cases it can be repaired without costing an arm and a leg.
Narrator: Very interesting, Rich. I know it is not welcome news to have to go into a newly finished wall, but it is simply the only way to figure out where the water is coming from, right?
Crackman: That is correct.
Narrator: All right. Thank you for sharing this information about how to find water leaks behind a finished basement wall. If you have a basement water problem and think you need a professional, or, if you’d like more information on foundation repair and waterproofing topics, please visit A1FoundationCrackRepair.com or call Rich at (866) 929-3171. Or you can email rich at info@a1foundationcrackrepair.com. Thanks for listening and keep that basement dry.