Rain Water Seeping Into Downstairs Bedrooms

[Abram T.]

Hello BP Community,

I closed on a three family home in Garfield, NJ about four months ago and things have been going well so far. One of the units is now vacant and I started prepping the unit for renovations by stripping out the old carpets and moldings. The previous tenant told me that the corners and edges of the bedroom walls have been getting wet when there's heavy rain. I saw signs of wet corners and edges after pulling away the carpet and moldings. There was black mold too. I cleaned what I could with store-bought cleaners, but I want to make sure to prevent black mold and wet bedroom walls in the future. There also is signs of water leaking into my bedroom from the upstairs apartment bathroom. Would sealing the edges of the foundation (pics below) with drylok or some other sealant prevent the water from getting into my rooms in the future? That way I can just clean the black mold, dry it, then seal the foundation edges, then move on with renovating the bedrooms. Am i just better off calling a professional? Just thought I'd get your thoughts before I pick up the phone. I've attached pics for your reference. Thank you for your time.

[Tom W.]

Abram T. You need to find out why the rain water is infiltrating in the first place before working on repairs. Very often it is something simple like the ground outside has settled to the point that it is pitched back towards the foundation. This causes the rain water to seep down along the foundation and work its way in. Adding some top soil and grading it away from the foundation is an easy fix for this. Another common cause are downspouts from the gutters discharging next to the foundation instead of directing the water away from the house. Again, another easy fix. The real problems are caused by high water tables in the property around the house. Those type problems will probably require the services of a professional contractor.