When we bought our house, the engineer gave us two options, the I beams and the mortar and rebar. It was quite a bit of work but much less expensive than having someone install rebar. I also installed a wall of studs behind that wall with a plate secured to the floor with lag bolts and also attached to the joists. (It also hides the bulge.) Keep the drywall at least a quarter inch above the floor to prevent wicking in case of leaks.

I've tried several things with the leaks.  First find which way the ground is sloping. Check basement window for leaks. Window wells with an underdrain help. Check gutter drains for clogs. I did a french drain 3/4 around my house, running out to the street. that helps prevent water runoff from around the house from getting in. Moving water near your house away from it can be done in several ways. A roofed porch with gutters will help. I roofed my front porch and part of my deck. If you can build up around your blocks without going above them, you can do the umbrella method. You excavate a few feet, stucco and tar the blocks then install visquine or rubber roofing attached to the blocks so that the sheet slopes away from the house several feet to meet slotted flexible pipe. This is covered with pea gravel several inches deep. that is covered with filter fiber, then with topsoil. The conduit goes to lower ground for an outfall along with window drains and french drain.

Of course you need fall to make this happen. I would also advise you to take the gutter drains out separately so they don't back flood into the basement when they get clogged. 

My best result was on my northwest corner where I dug all the way to the footer, stuccoed and tarred then added foam insulation followed by filling the trench with one inch round stone over slotted drain, but there I had plenty of fall to the roadway.

The reason those crack sealants don't work on block walls very well, is there is always some movement that enlarges the cracks. Another problem is that if you patch one crack from the inside the water fills up all the blocks until it finds another escape point.

A friend once told me, to prevent floor leaks you poke a hole in your floor drain to allow water to go up into the sewer drain. this is similar to the sump pump method. You can also poke holes in the block and rout the water through pcv pipe to a drain. 

I'm home now if you want to come over, and should be back tomorrow after six depending on work. Friday I may be working on some new leaks due to recent heavy rains (basement outside steps). Or just call if you have any questions.

Home: 513-574-5947
Cell 513-379-8120
Larry2


---- Lawrence Kestenbaum <[log in to unmask]> wrote: 
> On Tue, Jun 30, 2009 at 7:02 PM, <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> 
> > -Hello Larry,
> >
> > This is Larry2. I live across the river and can show you what I've done to fix my leaky
> > basement (almost.) I tried to write you one late night but it took so long I got kicked
> > off my server before I could send. We stabilized the bulge by poking holes in the
> > blocks and pouring in grout with rebar. That side has been dry for 15 years. More later.
> > My number is 513-379-8120.
> >
> > Larry Simpson
> 
> Nice to meet you!
> 
> You may be mixing up two houses.  The one that has the basement
> problem is in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  I'm here in Kentucky to help with
> cleaning up my mother-in-law's house.
> 
> Right now we're expecting to do strategy #2, which is the i-beams and
> inside footer drains.
> 
> But maybe I should show your basement to my wife.
> 
>                                                             Larry
> 
> ---
> Lawrence Kestenbaum, [log in to unmask]
> Washtenaw County Clerk & Register of Deeds, http://ewashtenaw.org
> The Political Graveyard, http://politicalgraveyard.com
> P.O. Box 2563, Ann Arbor, MI 48106
> 
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