Basement Waterproofing in Crestline, Ohio

Crestline is in eastern Crawford County, near the headwaters of the Sandusky River. The Sandusky Headwaters Preserve sits just outside town. USGS lists Crestline among the communities affected by the August 2007 floods that hit north-central Ohio.

Like much of Crawford County, where about half the homes were built before 1960, Crestline has many older basements with block walls and no original drainage system.

Crestline at a glance

Common basement fixes in Crestline

For older block basements, contractors most often recommend an interior drain tile with a sump pump, sometimes combined with a vapor barrier on the walls. Leaking cracks in poured walls can often be sealed by injection.

Block walls that bow inward or show stair-step cracks need a structural evaluation. Steel bracing, wall anchors or carbon fiber straps are common repairs, depending on how far the wall has moved.

• Look at the joint where the wall meets the floor after a heavy rain. Damp lines there usually mean water pressure from outside, not a plumbing leak.
• Check block walls for white, chalky deposits (efflorescence). They are left behind by water moving through the masonry.
• Walk the outside of the house during a storm. Downspouts that dump next to the foundation are one of the cheapest problems to fix.
• If you have a sump pump, pour a bucket of water into the pit and make sure it starts, empties the pit and shuts off.