[Insder]

I have a roughly ~100 y/o house in Massachusetts with a fieldstone foundation. The basement was "finished" when I bought the house (drywall, sheetrock, no insulation) and I simply left it alone. A recent project has led me to remove all of the existing drywall so that it can be properly finished. The rest of the basement has no noticeable water or smell of moisture, but upon pulling off the drywall in one corner of the house, I found a strong water smell and moisture behind the wall.

In talking to a contractor, he told me he thinks the water was from a washing machine pipe (there was a p-trap attached but it is cracked, pictured) that had cracked at the joint and was likely leaking the whole time. My only concern is the opposite wall appears to potentially have had moisture, but then again, I also don't really know what to look for, because maybe it's the window (right at grade)?

Link to photos: (apparently I need one post but this should count as one post): imgur.com/a/BVA51NQ

Trying to figure out if I should be calling a mason/trying to fix my grading outside, or what the next best step is? I have a dehumidifier and air mover running to get it dried out and it appears to be working.

Thanks!

 

[Bondo]

In talking to a contractor, he told me he thinks the water was from a washing machine pipe (there was a p-trap attached but it is cracked, pictured) that had cracked at the joint and was likely leaking the whole time. My only concern is the opposite wall appears to potentially have had moisture, but then again, I also don't really know what to look for, because maybe it's the window (right at grade)?

Ayuh,..... All of This, ^^^ is entirely viable, believable, 'n most likely the case,.....

As for regrading, you don't say what's there, 'n no pictures, so as long as all the water pitches Away from yer house, it should be just fine,....

Hopefully, the water in the window only happens with wind driven rain, 'n rarely at that,....

 

[Old Thomas]

I have similar basement construction. I battled water for years. I graded, put perimeter drainage in and put ten foot leaders on my downspouts. They all helped but didn’t solve the problem. I bought a backhoe and was looking for a project so I trenched in piping for the downspouts to daylight openings fifty feet from the house. It is almost cured but in extremely wet times the water table rises so moisture seeps in through cracks in the floor. I think it is as good as it gets.

 

[stadry]

tom, sometimes you have to also put in laterals in basement floors,,, there are mtls that will seal conc against hydrostatic leaks but, unless you're in the trade, probably wouldn't have exposure to them
where in ny - city or upstate ?

 

[stadry]

to the op, water's always better directed away from the house but its also likely that alone won't resolve your issue,,, having owned an 1856 house w/stone foundation walls, using the cellar for a family room's going to be expensive & time-consuming,,, grading outside is diy work,,, if you can't use a 4' level, hire the work