Purchased the home in February. Was removing a shelf that was connected to the basement wall in the corner. Tore it out and found it like this. The back of the shelf was rotted, but it has since dried out. There are a few other places on this part of the basement that have water intrusion, but not this bad. Mold test was clear and there’s no musty smell.
The neighbors informed me that years ago there was a flood cause by a neighbor two streets up that threw his lawn clipping into the city owned drain. It formed a dam and eventually burst and sent the water flowing down. I’m guessing during the flooding the water was absorbed through the wood and was dried out eventually.
The wall is not damp, nor has there been any actual water spotted in the basement. It has also rained the past two days. I have had two dehumidifiers running since February. The yard slopes away from the house. I’m going to clear out my gutters and ensure the downspouts are clean as well. I have a feeling they’re causing the issue. I have not witnessed any water pooling outside by the house either.
Today I had a basement remediation company come out and quote me 20k for adding water guards, a sump pump, wallie lining, and a built in dehumidifier. He never mentioned the gutters once. I’m feeling like all of this is overkill/he’s trying to maximize sales. I’m guessing ensuring the gutters are draining farther away would do the trick. If not I can reassess at a later date/cracks appear/basement floods.
Is there anything I am overlooking or should be aware of? Thanks for any assistance!