Hey there! So, my old house, which was built back in 1875, has a pretty interesting setup in the basement. We’ve got this fireplace down there, and at the back of it, there are these doors where you shovel in the fuel. Now, here’s the kicker: that back wall of the fireplace is also one of the walls of the boiler room. And in the corner of that boiler room, there’s this small hole, about the size of a nickel, and it goes down about six inches. It looks like it opens up into some kind of channel or passageway.
But wait, there’s more! Right by the doorway into the boiler room, on one side of the door frame, there are these two gaps, each about six inches deep, also leading into what seems like a channel. And if we move to the front of the fireplace, there’s another smaller hole right on the hearth, just about the size of my pinky finger.
Now, here’s the issue – all of these holes are causing water to seep into my basement. I’ve been dealing with moisture problems down there for a while now. I’ve tried to tackle it by keeping the gutters clean, extending the downspouts, and even regrading one side of the house. But no matter what I do, these pesky holes keep letting water in.
I did a little experiment with some food dye, and yep, those four holes are definitely the source of all the water in my basement. And get this, I’ve tried sucking out the water with a wet vac on multiple occasions. But as soon as I think I’ve got them all emptied out, they just fill right back up again. Talk about frustrating, right?
So, I’m left wondering – what the heck are these holes? And where do they lead to? Can I just fill them up with some hydraulic cement and call it a day? Or am I going to make things worse by doing that? It’s a real head-scratcher, and I’m hoping to get to the bottom of it soon before my basement turns into an indoor swimming pool.