Last week we discussed what a bulkhead is and ways they can leak. This week we can talk about how you go about fixing leaking bulkheads. First you want to go outside and see if the downspouts from your gutters dump the water right where the bulkhead is. If it does, you want to put an extender on it to be sure it runs away from the bulkhead area. Second, you want to see if...

Here in MA, RI, CT and NH, most houses have basements. A bulkhead is usually metal, you can open this door that is on an angle from the outside and then go down some stairs into the basement. When a bulkhead is leaking you'll often see a puddle at the bottom of the stairs in the basement. The puddle is just where the water gathers, that doesn't mean that is where it is leaking. You...

Homeowners are complaining about the rusty things sticking out of their foundation walls. People can get hurt by them and they can let water in. These "rusty things" are called tie rods or snap-ties. They are used during the construction phase. Builders take two pieces of wood and use the rods to separate them, they then pour the concrete between the wood. Once the concrete is dried, they remove the wood and are also supposed...

It's common knowledge that concrete begins with water and a dry cement substance that are mixed together, poured into a mold that then becomes very hard. But that is probably the end of most people's knowledge on the subject. But there is also aggregate and other chemicals that are put into it. Cement has a lot of weight. Think of a square yard. That square yard of concrete weighs 3,700 pounds coming down the chute...

I was called to take a look at some lally columns at a beautiful house in South Yarmouth that had been in the family for many many years, a second generation home. It was right on the water, it has a swimming pool and next to the swimming pool is a private beach on the ocean. The seller had a pre-inspection done by a home inspector that I know. The homeowner said that "some of...

We are seeing, especially in new construction, that the downspout ends about 6" from the foundation. This is a problem because when they excavate for a cellar hole, they excavate about 6' to 8' larger than they need because guys have to get in there and work. They fill that soil back in, but they don't compact it. When the soil is not compacted, the water can peculate through it. This means that the water...

We see stone foundations all over New England, from MA to RI, CT, it doesn't matter. From Hartford to Boston we see these stone foundations. There are 3 primary problems that we see. The first is that there is mortar missing or crumbling from in between the stones. That's when you go in the basement and you see a powdery material on the floor, or when you touch it it just comes off. The mortar...

Everyone likes saving a buck when possible and most homeowners have a DIY instinct when it comes to home repairs. So we have a few tips today for keeping your basement dry. The first tip is to take care of your gutters and downspouts. By that we mean make sure your gutters are clean, that there are no trees growing out of them, and that downspouts are clear. Also, you want to be sure they...

We got a call because the home inspector said the Lally column should be ok, but the homeowner called in the building inspector for a small town outside Nashua, NH. The lally column was an old granite post cut about 10” going up to the beam, and supporting it. The basement did have a poured concrete floor. However, the building inspector said that in order to approve the granite post, he had to see if...

George in Waltham, MA writes: “I have recently found a white fuzzy substance on my basement foundation walls, what in the world could it be?” Well, this is not an unusual situation. It can be on a basement foundation wall that is made out of concrete, block or stone. This is efflorescence. This is caused because concrete and mortar is porous. Water and water vapors are pushing inward on these structures. It is bringing the...