Expert: Richard Taylor, AIA - 3/5/2004

Question
Let me start out with basic information first. I lve in the Buffalo, NY area.
My home was built in 1912.
The basement walls are concrete blocks.
Approximately 1 inch from the floor , on the walls, are a series of small holes(about every 4 feet).
On the floor(concrete) along the walls is a channel about 1/2 deep and 2 inches wide.
After a heavy rain, or the spring thaw water comes from these holes in the wall and goes into the channel. Some of the water makes it into a floor drain, but a lot of it is left standing.
Due to this standing water I am experiencing a musty odor in the basement. When the furnace kicks on, this odor naturally comes up with the forced hot air.
Question 1: What can I do to divert more of the water to the floor drain?
Question 2: What would happen if I plugged up the holes(hydraullic ceement)?
If you can help me I would certainly appreciate it.

Thank You,

Tim Whit

Answer
Mr. Whit:

Thanks for your question!

Sounds like someone drilled those weep holes and cut that channel before you bought the house to drain water from around the foundation.  The problem is that all of the water is not draining away.

You have a couple of options.  One is to alter the channels so that the water drains - the channels could be cut deeper into the floor.  Or, basement wall specialists can install a vinyl channel along the bottom of the wall that captures the water and drains it away.  Call your local Home Building Association or Building Industry Association for names of companies.

Or course, you could always have the foundation walls properly waterproofed and drained - the very best long-term option but the most expensive, too since it involves digging out the walls!

Hope this helps!

Richard Taylor, AIA
Richard Taylor Architects, LLC
www.rtaylorarchitects.com