Wet Basement Wall

[dnot32]

I have a finished basement that has water damage along one wall. I opened up the wall and it looks like a small amount of water is coming in at a corner in one of the rooms. The chip board is rotted and damp at the base of the wall nearest the floor. Any suggestions?? :confused:

[tval325]

The first thing I would do is remove the paneling on the wall that is wet. This will allow you to see the wall and the where the wall meets the floor. If the wall is studded, water can travel the entire wall misleading you on the actual source of the leak.

Finding the source of the water will help you determine the solution to the seepage. I would start outside and look at the obvious, full gutters, poor grade toward the house and improper extension of downspouts. On the inside walls I would look for the following; any holes or cracks in the wall, pipes coming through the wall and around any windows. These are the most common areas water would come through the wall.

There are several easy methods to correct any of the above problems if the problem is isolated. The next step may be cleaning existing tiles or installing new interior drainage tiles.