Do you have water leaking through a crack or cracks in your basement or crawlspace floor? There are many possible causes for this kind of leak. Most commonly, after a day of rain, water pressure on the outside of your foundation (either next to it or below it) can build up. This pressure is also called hydrostatic pressure.
But water wants to find the path of least resistance. Unfortunately for that outside water, that path can be into your home through a crack in the floor slab. Many times, this crack is actually a joint of two pieces of concrete that have dried at different rates/times. Cold joints are another name for these cracks or seams. While cold joints are standard in the building process, water could also be entering through a different kind of crack in the concrete.
What’s Causing That Crack in the Basement or Crawlspace Floor?
Whether if the water is coming through a cold joint or an actual crack in the floor, the water pressure could be building on the outside for a variety of reasons. There could be a high water table, a perched water table, or the clay bowl effect from virgin soil excavated for the home’s basement or crawlspace. The last one is also called the clay bowl effect. To prevent groundwater from becoming a problem for your basement or crawlspace, it is crucial to redirect that water away from your home. This will help prevent hydrostatic pressure from affecting your foundation.
Hydrostatic pressure can also cause damage to your foundation floor. For example, it is how a crack may appear in your basement floor, and why it may leak with water whenever it rains.
How Can You Keep Water Away From Your Foundation?
Ensuring Proper Grading
There could also be grading problems on the surface above: either the yard, or changes to the driveway or patio. Improper grading can allow water to flow towards the home instead of away from the home. There are also other possible causes for water leaking into your basement or crawlspace to consider.
Clean Your Gutters and Downspouts
Maintaining your gutters and downspouts is an important part of protecting your home. Regularly cleaning your gutters and downspouts can keep rainwater moving properly from your roof to a location away from your foundation. Clogged gutters and damaged downspouts can cause water to fall next to the foundation. Consider extending your downspouts as well.
Waterproofing Your Basement or Crawlspace
A ’58 Foundations & Waterproofing interior basement or crawlspace waterproofing system can protect your basement or crawlspace from incoming water. Our waterproofing experts will install our specially-engineered Channel ’58 drainage channels beside the footer along the perimeter of your lower level. These drainage channels will lead any collected water to a sump pit. Then our Workhorse sump pump will push the water out and away from your home via a discharge pipe. Other products may be used depending on your unique situation. Components such as vapor barriers, our Footer Shield, and rigid sealers may be installed to help further protect your lower level from invasive water and moisture.
Ultimately, with a customizable ’58 waterproofing solution, you can take control of the groundwater around your foundation and keep hydrostatic pressure from becoming a problem.
Waterproofing and Foundation Repair Since 1958
However, it can be very difficult to determine the exact cause(s) of water leaking through a crack in the floor. There’s also always a chance of other causes developing in the future. That’s why it’s important to find a waterproofing solution that addresses the six most common ways water can infiltrate a basement or crawlspace. Whether you live in Chattanooga, TN, Philadelphia, PA, or Washington, DC, ’58 Foundations & Waterproofing is there to help homeowners throughout the Eastern Seaboard.
For a solution that’s backed by over 63 years of experience, call upon the experts at ’58 Foundations & Waterproofing! We’ll help protect your home from water leaks and from cracks in your basement or crawlspace floor.
We offer the lasting solutions you need to solve your basement or crawlspace groundwater problems. Contact your ’58 Foundations & Waterproofing office today to learn more and get a free estimate.