Concrete foundations are generally strong, but sometimes cold weather or settling may cause the foundation to crack or leak. Repairing a leak is difficult work. If you have the money, you may want to hire someone to come out and look at it. But if you are determined to repair the leak yourself, you will have to dig a large trench beside the house and patch the wall from the outside. Cracks are easier to repair but could be indications of much more serious problems. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
Leaks
1. Examine the leak. Figure out which wall or corner of the foundation that is leaking. Look at how much is leaking. If the leak is not disrupting your life or damaging your property, you may not want to go to the time and toil of fixing it.
2. Look for the cause of the leak. If the leak is caused by groundwater getting through the concrete, proceed to the steps below. If the leak is caused by a nearby stream, see if you can reroute the water away from the house instead.
3. Dig a large ditch outside the structure along the wall or corner where the leak is present. Dig down deep, all the way to where the base of the foundation meets the earth. Make the ditch wide enough so you can stand beside the wall. If you have a solid, poured cement wall rather than a block wall, skip ahead to Step 6.
4. Mix the concrete plaster. Make the mixture smooth so that it can be spread easily across the wall. Climb into the ditch with the plaster and flat trowel.
5. Use the flat trowel to spread the plaster across the entire affected outer wall. Spread it in a thick even coat, then wait two to three days for the plaster to dry.
6. When the plaster is dry, apply a coat of foundation tar to the entire affected area. Leave the thick, even coat there for two to three days again to dry.
7. Insert a plastic drainage tube into the bottom of the ditch to divert water from the house. Bury the drainage tube and replace all the earth in the ditch.
Cracks
8. Examine the crack. If it is wider than 1 inch, you may need to call a professional to look at the building's structure. This could indicate that serious professional repairs are needed.
9. Mix a dry mixture of cement plaster. Make sure there are still bits of dry concrete in the mix. Insert the plaster into the crack, stuffing as much in as you can.
10. Smooth the surface of the crack with the flat trowel. Wait one to two days for the crack to dry.
11. Monitor the crack. If it reappears or grows larger, this, again, could indicate serious structural problems, and you may want to seek professional advice.
Tags: flat trowel, could indicate, drainage tube, entire affected, even coat, from house, leak caused
