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Do I need to do something about the metal rod holes in my poured concrete basement walls?

Steve Maxwell

ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS:

casaGURU's home improvement GURU gives a homeowner some basement renovation advice.

Q: Do I need to do something about the metal rod holes in my poured concrete basement walls? The house was built 20 years ago, and a contractor who specializes in removing the metal and patching the cavities has fixed the rod holes below the existing insulation along the top of the wall. I've now stripped this upper insulation in preparation for finishing the basement. Do I need to tackle the remaining holes? Is this something I can do myself?

A: Metal rods and the surrounding holes are remnants of the concrete forms used during construction, and they aren't an issue as long as they're not a source of water leakage. If there's just a tiny bit of rust around them, you're okay to leave the rods as they are. But if there's any evidence of leakage, then properly plugging the holes would be a good idea, though this alone won’t be enough.

I'd combine the plugging with a coat of basement waterproofing compound if you intend to finish the space. Are the rod holes at least 3/4-inch deep? If they are, then you can work some mortar into the space without removing the rods. Let it cure for a week or two, then apply your waterproof basement coating.