From: gary@cdthq.UUCP (Gary Heston)
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 92 19:20:46 CST
Organization: Garys' Home for Obsolete Computers

rlink@acpub.duke.edu (Robert E. Link) writes:

> We have a runoff problem with the whole street, sidewalk and even a
> parking lot draining into our front yard and (yes) down to the front of
> the house. I'm working on getting the city to deal with this (we just
> bought the house) but in the meantime I see that the block is starting
> to bulge out about 3 feet below ground level in the basement. A crack in
> the mortar has started and expanded and widened slightly over the last 6
> weeks (much rain lately). The crack is at the center of the bulge and at
> that point the wall is about 1 inch out of true. I need help. We don't
> have any money and I'm going to need to deal with this mostly myself.

If your basement wall is bulging and cracking, you have *serious*
structural problems. If this is a new house, get your attorney and
builder to work. (You don't say, but I can't imagine this being an
established house; a visible change in the wall in six weeks is a
*lot* of movement; an older house would have fallen in by now.)

First step is to dig a ditch or something across your yard (or
have the city do it, if you can get them moving). Bracing the 
wall would also be a good early move; put 4x4s vertically along
the wall, and either brace back to the other side or to 2x6 lumber
attached to the floor with lag screws into anchors (you'll probably
want a hammer drill to put those in). Don't space the 4x4s more
than 4' apart; 2-3' would be better.

Long term fix is to divert the water away permanently; either by a 
ditch or storm drain. More soil along the front of the house would
help, but it's better to block the water from getting there.

> Aside from getting the city to put in a storm sewer, what should I do
> first? I thought about getting a load of topsoil to make a slope away
> from the house but things may have gone too far for that. I remember
> catching the end of a thread on this group once before where someone was
> talking about excavating down the wall and putting either graveel or a
> drainage pipe in?

Yes, this can be done. However, your wall shouldn't be bulging;
I'd be *real* leery about excavating next to a unstable foundation
wall. Something you could consider as a alternative would be to
use a posthole digger to punch a 6"-8" hole down a foot or so in
front of the basement wall, as far down as you can, and see if water
collects in them. (Sounds guaranteed, from your description.) Some
small pumps could be used to draw that out, which would ease the 
strain on the wall without major excavation. Run the hose *well* 
away from the house, of course.

> Also, someone suggested that I put supports under the floor joists to
> take some of the load off the wall?

Mixed thoughts, here. The wall is bulging from the horizontal 
pressure, not vertical, and gains some of it's strength form
pressure, not vertical, and gains some of it's strength from
the compression load applied by the house. Taking the straing
with supports might keep the house from totally collapsing, 
but it might also make it easier for the wall to collapse.

In any case, you have a major problem, that must be dealt with
immediately. If it's a new house, your builder should deal
with it at no cost.

More discouragingly, if the city inspector sees the wall bulging
and cracking, he/she might condem the house.

Good luck....

Gary Heston, at home....
gary@cdthq.uucp