All Forum Posts by: Account Closed

This basement is 32x29 with block walls that have previously been painted.  I don't know if it was Drylock or just regular paint.  There is one area about 6 feet long that looks like some sort of patch had been attempted at the cove along the area where the seepage is the worst.  There are 2 or 3 other small areas that seep, one with a small crack.  One wall shows significant signs of efflorescence but no seeping. 

After getting a quote of $8400 for interior and exterior french drains, at the recommendation of a realtor, I had a sump pump only installed.  It seems to have helped with the amount of seepage but of course not eliminated it. Just yesterday, I have also addressed some gutter/downspout issues which I hope will help more.  In a few weeks, I'll also be doing some grading in a couple of low areas around the outside wall where the seeping is the worst.

The drains were plugged (I'll fix those in the next day or two) so standing water caused some mold issues.  The mold was removed once but is coming back. 

My plan was to pressure wash the walls, Drylock the seeping areas and repaint all the walls with a mold inhibiting paint.  My research on Drylock indicates the walls must be dry and on unpainted masonry.  Waste of time and money I'm thinking.

If I wash and paint, how long before the efflorescence starts to appear again? 

If the seepage never stops, paint wont work, so will just look bad anyway, but maybe better than bubbling, dirty paint.

I'm not trying to hide the problem, but I do want the basement to look clean, even if there's some very small puddles of water along the wall.

What would you do? ARV for this home is only around $60 to 70k.

Just last week, I was quoted $8400 for what @Emilio Ramirez described for a 29 x 32 basement for interior and exterior (what I call french) drains. I had a sump pump installed instead. The realtor said it will appease the masses because they are used to wet basements in that particular area. If the ARV was much higher, or it was my home, I would have had the french drains put in. This home was built in 1954 and has the exact drainage system Emilio described.

Could it possibly be a faulty meter?  I've had 2 friends in the last year whose meters went haywire.  One made their bill extremely small, the other very high.

I recently had a professional appraisal done. One of the comps listed was a foreclosure and noted so in the report.

I hope they'll tell you.  A call to our electric company to see if a change of service had been requested (tenant was moving) ended with the customer service rep telling me that was personal information and she couldn't tell me!    

My bank will do 80% LTV after 6 months.

@Scott Voytko I wonder that too when I see their homes listed.   I watched one where it appeared to take 9 months to get it rented.

@Brian Mathews I'm going to spend days trying to read between your lines!

@Josh Childers I don't have anything to add to your question, just want to say HI! since I'm in the next town over from you.

Had this situation once.  The person staying could afford it alone so I was ok with it but they had to pay for changing the locks.  I made them wait a bit before I actually gave them my decision and they were back together within weeks.  

Face masks, especially for anyone who has allergies.  If there's any hint of mold, you don't want to be breathing that in either.