**** this weather

[RetArmySgt]

Had an insurance adjust come out today at the request of my agent. He looked around and took some pictures then tells me that my policy will cover $7500 worth of the damage I just need to get a plumber to come out and find the leaky pipe in the slab. I informed him that there was no plumbing in this part of the house and the water was coming up through the slab from outside. He tore up the paperwork and said that water damage and slab damage are only covered if a pipe breaks and left.

 

[Mike1234567]

How do you know for certain there isn't a leaky pipe near there causing the problem? Cracks in foundations can cause water to end up where you'd least expect it.

 

[Dawico]

How do you know for certain there isn't a leaky pipe near there causing the problem? Cracks in foundations can cause water to end up where you'd least expect it.

This is very true. The path of least resistance sometimes seems like an unlikely route.

 

[RetArmySgt]

If it was a plumbing leak it would have popped up somewhere else in the house first, this room is the furthest from any plumbing you can get in this house. And it would have to be a pipe in the slap the water is coming out of.

 

[karlac]

How do you know for certain there isn't a leaky pipe near there causing the problem?

If the OP has a municipal water supply:
Turn off all faucets and valves in the house (but not the shut off supplying the house).
Pull the cover on the city water meter and see if the flow indicator is still spinning.
If it is, you have leak somewhere on your side of the meter.

Cracks in foundations can cause water to end up where you'd least expect it.

Absolutely...

 

[outdare]

Did you get the home warranty when you bought the house? (Home shield etc) Also since you are a vet you might qualify for a grant from the VA. Just some thoughts. Good luck

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[Mike1234567]

If it was a plumbing leak it would have popped up somewhere else in the house first, this room is the furthest from any plumbing you can get in this house. And it would have to be a pipe in the slap the water is coming out of.

Nope... not true. It takes an expert with the right listening tools to find the source of a foundation leak.

 

[Mike1234567]

Did you get the home warranty when you bought the house? (Home shield etc) Also since you are a vet you might qualify for a grant from the VA. Just some thoughts. Good luck

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Aren't all home builders in Texas required to supply a ten year warranty on all new homes? How old is the house?

 

[karlac]

Nope... not true. It takes an expert with the right listening tools to find the source of a foundation leak.

That's true.
I will say that in Texas, at least since the 60's, IME it is not all that common these days to find water supply lines run under a foundation, especially since the advent of PEX.

And then it is usually only a short distance, fairly easily found, and not that hard to fix.

 

[karlac]

Aren't all home builders in Texas required to supply a ten year warranty on all new homes? How old is the house?

Not since the Texas Residential Construction Commission was sunsetted circa 2010.

 

[RetArmySgt]

Did you get the home warranty when you bought the house? (Home shield etc) Also since you are a vet you might qualify for a grant from the VA. Just some thoughts. Good luck

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I have a home warranty but it doesnt cover foundations, I will check with the VA I didnt think about that.

 

[Mike1234567]

I have a home warranty but it doesnt cover foundations, I will check with the VA I didnt think about that.

But... does it cover a foundation 'leak'? Even if the foundation is the sole causal factor, a leak is still different than a foundation problem. Insurance companies have very strange and confusing clauses and most times all they want to do is take your money and squeeze out of making good on valid claims. All this and policies are overwhelmingly confusing. I hate all insurance companies.

I think you need to hire a third-party insurance claim consultant to go over your policy to determine what's rightfully yours.

 

[RetArmySgt]

Got the carpeting pulled out tonight thanks to a couple of friends that came out to help. And as I thought there are cracks in the slab, they dont look deep just thin surface cracks. So Im going to have to fill them in before I can seal the concrete. Going to have to scrape up some linoleum that I found under part of the carpet in one room. I will probably have concrete floors in the house for a little while. First I will have to fill those cracks, then seal and then refloor. All of which costs money. I looked into the VA loans and grants for repairs and they pay me too much to qualify for their programs.

 

[karlac]

Impossible to judge without being there, but can anything be done about lot drainage?

 

[RetArmySgt]

Impossible to judge without being there, but can anything be done about lot drainage?

The property slopes towards the back yard, I will have to put in french drains or something of the sort to move the water to the front and into the street.

 

[karlac]

The property slopes towards the back yard,

Due to subsidence, or just a piss poor builder?

Is the driveway involved in directing drainage toward the back of the lot?

What about adjacent neighbors draining onto your property?

I will have to put in french drains or something of the sort to move the water to the front and into the street.

Were the streets flooded during this last event? French drains don't work when they can't drain into a flooded street.

You do need to do something in that regard, however. Besides the immediate problem of drying out, which you are addressing, I would focus on doing something about lot drainage, as anything else is just a bandaid until that is taken care of.

Obviously and ideally, interior lots should drain away from the side property lines, and foundation, and from the back property line to the street.

That can be accomplished by fill dirt and a side yard swale that drains to the street. Properly sloped fill dirt can also mitigate problems with neighbors who might be draining onto your property, adding to your problem.

Dirt is cheap, although labor ain't, but labor expense moving dirt could also be relatively cheap versus other solutions. (too old for it now, but in years past I have personally effected Engineer's drainage plans, in a manner sufficient to pass a drainage inspection on some lots I've built on, using a wheelbarrow and shovel).

Point is, having some dirt hauled in and hiring the day laborers outside of Home Depot, might help. And with that in mind.

What about A&M? With all that engineering expertise being taught, there may be a civil engineering class that could use some practical experience in formulating a drainage plan and putting it into effect? Just a though. might be worth exploring.

Damn, too bad we're not closer. I have to deal with drainage on every construction project, and thus have good folks down here who could help, but travel for a crew is an expense you don't need.

 

[robertc1024]

Got the carpeting pulled out tonight thanks to a couple of friends that came out to help. And as I thought there are cracks in the slab, they dont look deep just thin surface cracks. So Im going to have to fill them in before I can seal the concrete. Going to have to scrape up some linoleum that I found under part of the carpet in one room. I will probably have concrete floors in the house for a little while. First I will have to fill those cracks, then seal and then refloor. All of which costs money. I looked into the VA loans and grants for repairs and they pay me too much to qualify for their programs.

Watch out doing the linoleum removal - might have asbestos in it. Even though (wink wink) it was supposed to be out of there by the mid '70's, we tore our old building down at work which was built in '81 and had to pay a lot for a hazmat team to remove our linoleum that had asbestos in it.

 

[RetArmySgt]

This whole side of the street seems to slope down in the back half of the property. For the most part the main obstacle right now is money. I have people that can help me with labor but I need to get materials first. It also looks like I'm going to have to replace the toe plate on one of the outside walls. Noticed damage to sheet rock and when I removed a section behind the base board I found rot.

 

[outdare]

Take a lot of pictures and consult a lawyer. You might have recourse against the sellers. If you used a VA loan they may help you with legal advice.

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[RetArmySgt]

I has finally dried up enough for me to start doing some work, now to find some cash to pay for the supplies ill need.