Poor exterior drainage was letting water reach a Moline foundation. Behncke Construction sealed the foundation from the exterior, repaired a damaged section, tuckpointed deteriorated masonry, blocked in an unused window, installed new window wells, regraded with topsoil, and replaced the deteriorated sidewalks with new concrete.

Project photos

Project overview

On this Moline, Illinois project, the wet basement was not a mystery inside the house. The real problem was outside: poor exterior drainage was letting water reach the foundation. Rather than sell the homeowner a system to collect water after it entered, the crew corrected the source.

Project details

The foundation was sealed from the exterior, and a damaged section of the foundation was repaired. Several deteriorated areas of masonry were tuckpointed.

An unused foundation window was blocked in with concrete block, removing an opening that no longer served a purpose. New window wells were installed at the remaining windows.

Topsoil was added to improve the grading and direct water away from the home. The deteriorated sidewalks were replaced with new concrete, which improves drainage around the house and gives the property a cleaner appearance.

What homeowners should know

Grading is the least glamorous part of waterproofing and often the most important. Soil settles over the years, especially in the backfill zone right against the foundation, and hardscape like sidewalks can sink or tip toward the house. When the ground within a few feet of the wall slopes inward, every rain delivers water directly to the foundation. Adding topsoil to restore a positive slope, and replacing concrete so it sheds water away, are corrections to that supply problem.

Openings in a foundation are weak points. An old window that is no longer used, or a window well that has filled with debris and holds water, can let more water in than the rest of the wall combined. Blocking in an unused opening and installing proper window wells at the ones that remain closes those paths.

When the cause of water intrusion can be corrected in this way, an interior drain tile system may not be necessary. That is not always the case; some houses genuinely need one. But the order of operations matters: correct the drainage and seal the wall first, then see what water problem, if any, remains. Homeowners can keep the correction working by maintaining the grade, keeping wells and downspouts clear, and watching for settling along the new concrete.

Photo highlights

• New concrete along the side of the house, replacing the deteriorated walk.
• The old walk coming out at the front steps.
• Excavation along the foundation with forms set for the new walk.
• The unused foundation window before it was blocked in.
• The same opening blocked in and the foundation sealed.
• The narrow side yard opened up along the foundation.
• Sealed foundation with stakes set for regrading with new topsoil.
• Repaired block and tuckpointed joints beside a new window well.
• The front walk removed and prepped for new concrete.

Related services

• Exterior Waterproofing
• Masonry Repair
• Concrete Flatwork
• Window Well Drainage
• Foundation and Masonry Work in Moline
• More recent project updates