A leaky basement can be the cause of many long-term home issues, including mold, structural damage, odors, and damage to cherished belongings, along with many others. Your basement probably has some form of waterproofing or drainage. Common formats include a french drain or a waterproofing compound applied to the below-grade walls. Unfortunately for many homeowners, exterior waterproofing systems of these types do not prevent hydro-static pressure from building up. This hydro-static pressure will inevitably force water into the crawl space, causing flooding, cracking, and other damage. The only places a basement can leak from the outside are the walls or the floor.
As the illustration below shows, the most common leak that occurs in a basement is where the concrete slab meets the block wall. Due to the nature of basements and crawl spaces, there is no way to fix this sort of problem from the exterior of the house. Interior basement waterproofing is the only way to address the interior joints that where leaks occur.
Common Wake Forest Basement Subterranean Water Problems
1) Cracks
Basement cracks can appear on the floor or the walls of your basement. Regardless of where they are, cracks in your basement can be incredibly dangerous to the structure of your house. Cracks, even those from the normal settling of the foundation, indicating that water is flowing under your foundation and eroding the soil around your home.
2) Floor Seepage
North Carolina weather is well-known for its mix of extremes and quick shifts between them. Extreme and relatively rapid shifts like this can cause extreme damage in your home, especially by causing leaks and cracks in your foundation. The weakest part of the foundation in any house is where the wall and floor meet. The walls are installed over what is known as the footer before the floor is poured, causing cold seams where the concrete has voids. After the floor is poured it will shrink, causing gaps between these separate parts. You might not think that slow-moving groundwater is very powerful, but the pressure is so much that it can seep in through these spaces. This seepage can often be resulting in serious flooding and damage.
3) Efflorescence
This white powdery substance results from a chemical reaction occurring within your foundation. In places where the efflorescence occurs, the wall actually begins to flake away as water removes salt from the material. This is most noticeable where the walls have been painted. In these places, the paint will peel or flake away from the wall, exposing the foundation damage.
4) Wall Seepage
When water seeps down into the ground, either through the soil or out a downspout, the first part of your home that it comes in contact with is your foundation walls. Just like everything else, the waterproofing membranes put in when your house was first constructed break down over time, making your home newly susceptible to seepage. This new seepage is only exacerbated by the fact that concrete absorbs a lot of water given the opportunity. This water absorption actually saps the strength of the concrete, making for a weaker and more dangerous foundation for your house.
Our Basement Waterproofing Process
The best and most effective way to relieve the pressure on your foundation and to stop water infiltrating is an installation of our Dual Pressure Relief System.
Typically, the installation process is as follows:
- The inside perimeter of the floor is cut about 8-10 inches from the wall. We dig a trench at this cut and remove all debris from it.
- The lowest level of the block is drilled at every core pocket. This releases any water that might be trapped in the blocks. This step is not necessary with brick or poured concrete walls
- We put a drainage pipe in the trench and direct it towards the sump pit(s). We then fill any remaining sub-floor void with ¾” washed gravel
- Next, we install a vapor barrier over the excavated trench and re-cement the floor to its original level over the drainage. This puts additional pressure on the supporting wall and increases its stability.
- In order to discharge the water collected through the drains, we install a submersible sump pump in each sump pit. This allows the water to be discharged away from your home.
Call the Wake Forest, NC Basement Waterproofing Experts for an Estimate Today!
If you think that your basement or crawl space is in danger from water or foundation damage, be sure to contact our basement waterproofing contractors today at (919) 847-7072. You can also fill out our online form to learn more about the benefits of our crawl space and basement services and schedule your free estimate today! When we come to estimate the price, we will observe all the relevant aspects and give you an accurate estimate. Our trained Wake Forest specialist will guide you through the options and help you determine the best solution for you, your basement, and your budget.
All work is performed by Wake Forest Crawl Space and Basement Technologies trained technicians. More importantly, each and every project comes with a Lifetime Warranty. All of our work is fully licensed and insured.
