Find water’s entry point to basement
Q: I read your columns every week in my local newspaper and have learned so much.
Here is my issue: I inherited an old house that was built by my great-grandparents in the 1920s. Under the front porch is the old coal cellar. During a heavy rainstorm, water gets into the coal cellar and then runs under the door of the coal cellar into the basement, which has the laundry room and a bathroom.
I had the floor of the front porch replaced thinking the water was coming in from there. However, some water is still getting in. There is no drain in the coal cellar, so the water runs into the only drain in the basement, which is in the middle of the laundry room. I have started to remodel the home, but I am not sure how to proceed to keep the basement dry. I would appreciate any suggestions you might have. -- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, via email
A: I assume that the front porch floor is made of wood, as replacing it with concrete would have been such a difficult job that you would have mentioned it.
If this is the case, it is possible that the porch floor is still the source of the coal cellar leakage, and the elimination of the problem may involve either one of the following:
1. Cover the existing porch floor with a self-stick membrane, such as W.R. Grace & Co.’s Ice & Water Shield (I&WS) (there are other brands), and apply a new finish flooring over it.
2. If possible, carefully remove the new flooring for later reuse. Apply 1/2-inch-thick pressure-treated plywood over the porch joists. Cover the plywood with I&WS and reinstall the flooring.
However, if the new porch floor is concrete, painting it with an epoxy coating that contains an anti-slip additive may solve the problem.
But before you embark on a major floor repair job, take a critical look at the areas surrounding the coal cellar walls. It sounds to me as if this is the more likely source of the occasional leakage in heavy rainstorms.
Look for any low areas that collect water. If there is a downspout discharging roof water close to the cellar, make sure that the water does not stagnate around the cellar walls. You may need to add an extension to the downspout or a splash block to move the water away.
If you do not have gutters and the roof water falls to the ground, there should be masonry pavers set flush with a gently sloping grade at the roof drip line to prevent erosion.
You should also check the grade around the entire house foundation. Make sure that it slopes gently away from the walls, as water can travel long distances until it finds a weak spot.
Make sure that the soil is covered with a water-absorbing healthy grass stand or thick ground cover.
If none of these suggestions solve the leakage, please write again and send me a more detailed description with photos.
The manufacture of fiberglass requires considerable energy.
Q: I enjoy your weekly columns in the Daily Herald in the Chicago area. I find them very informative. My question to you today may help many who are thinking of roof repairs. Roofing contractors are suggesting a ridge or turtle vent. I would like your recommendation on which would be best for my mansard style roof. -- Illinois, via email
A: Turtle vents are not very effective, as studies have determined.
The most effective passive ventilation system is the combination of soffit and ridge vents with an unimpeded air space of a minimum of 1 1 / 2inches between the eaves vents and the ridge vent.
A mansard roof presents a challenge because it may not be possible to ventilate the lower part of the roof as part of the entire roof system.
But if the upper roof is also sloping,it is possible to have soffit vents installed at the transition between the two roof planes.
Henri de Marne’s book, “About the House,” is available at www.upperaccess.com and in bookstores. His website is www.henridemarne.com. Readers can send questions to Henri de Marne’s email address at henridemarne@gmavt.net, or to First Aid for the Ailing House, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.