Why Is My Foundation or Basement Leaking?

Knowing Why Foundations Leak and What To Do About It

There are brand new houses that have water flooding into their basements. There are older homes that have flooding problems too. It doesn't matter on the age of the home, there is one fact; if there is a flood problem once, there will most certainly be a flood problem again.

There are two major factors that are behind basement leaking. They are the clay bowl effect and hydrostatic pressure.

Contact us now for your free waterproofing quote in [major cities 3], and surrounding areas in Ohio and Northern Kentucky.

How the "Clay Bowl Effect" Works Against Your Foundation

When a house is first being built, the foundation and basement floor must be constructed first as your entire home will rest on top of it. A hole is dug into the ground that is larger than the actual foundation so there will be room to work.

After the walls are built and the flooring has been poured and cured, much of the soil that was removed for the foundation is put back in the hole around the new concrete, filling the remaining spaces and gaps.

This "backfill", as it is called, is less compact and looser than the untouched, denser soil that was not removed during the excavation of the foundation.

This means that the supporting soil around your home's foundation is and will always be,  not as hard-packed, making it very absorbent to water. The area around your foundation forms a "clay bowl" and creates an artificial water table encompassing your foundation.

Imagine your home sitting in a water-logged "clay bowl" and all that moisture surrounding your house. That is an environment you don't want or need.

Hydrostatic Pressure and Wet Soils

The water-soaked soil around your foundation will expand with each gallon of water it absorbs. One gallon of water weighs over eight pounds. Now as the wet soil expands against the sides of your foundation, the added weight of the water is also pressing up against the concrete as well. This is what's called hydrostatic pressure.

The hydrostatic pressure causes the water in the soil to be pressed against the foundation and squeezed through any possible entryway into your basement.

Water can enter your basement through:

• concrete cracks
• openings around pipes
• basement windows
• the porous concrete walls or floor

With all these opportunities for water to enter your basement, the most common way in is for water to seep in where the walls meet the floor or the wall-floor joint.

Keeping your basement dry means more than stopping groundwater. It's essential to pay attention to the plumbing, including the water heater and the washing machine connections.

Waterproofing a Foundation in Ohio and Northern Kentucky

So, let's say the damage has been done. Your basement has flooded. After the water has come in, how do you dry a wet basement? The answer is actually very simple; "Stop the water at the point of entrance".

As the most common flooding scenario is having the water come in at the wall-floor joint, installing a perimeter drainage system along the outer edge of the basement is the most effective way to halt the water. Having this drainage system connected to a sump pump system that removes the water out and away from your home is a perfect solution that The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati offers.

But there are numerous variables when it comes to wet basements. No matter what the case is, The Basement Doctor of Cincinnati has a solution for each one.

We Can Cover Your Leaking...

• foundation walls
• basement floors
• wet crawl spaces

Call or e-mail today for your free basement waterproofing estimates in Cincinnati, Dayton, Hamilton, Piqua, Miamisburg, Fairborn, Erlanger, KY, Hebron, KY, Springboro, Mason, New Albany, Middletown, Fairfield, Loveland, Fairborn, West Chester, Jeffersonville, and surrounding areas in Ohio and Northern Kentucky.

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