Why Basements Leak

When builders are building a home, they only have so much money to spend. So, they tend to spend money on things that catch the eye rather than things the potential buyer won’t see, like a waterproofing system that would help the home to last longer. 

Two things that the builder does install is:

1.A coating on the basement walls

2.A proper drain around the bottom of the foundation called a “footing drain”

Coatings:

Wall Coatings can be black tar coatings called “damp-proofing.” Damp-proofing can cost builders about 20 cents per square foot or around $200 a house. It does not bridge any wall cracks, does not completely stop water, and does not last forever. 

A step up from damp-proofing is a waterproof coating. This can cost a builder $1,000 or more per house and it includes a drainage board, such as foam. Waterproofing will bridge most small wall cracks, and will last much longer than damp-proofing. 

Footing Drains:

Footing drains are plastic pipes with holes or slots and they are laid around the outside of the footing or at the bottom of the walls. The idea is that the water flows through the slots, into the pipes, and is directed away from the basement. 

Common problems with these drains include:

•The drains do not lead anywhere

•The water flowing through the drain brings in mud which can clog it

•The drains have little to no stone around them

•The rains are not connected on a continuous loop or are installed too high

On top of that, most drainage issues are caused by the soil becoming oversaturated. The weight of the water in the soil creates hydrostatic pressure and pushes the water into the basement. 

Water can come into a basement through:

•The joint between the footing and the wall

•Wall cracks and pipe penetrations

•Porous block walls

•Under the footing

As you can see, there are many ways and reasons why a basement can leak. It is designed to fail by the builders, leaving the future homeowner to fix it later. If you have a problem with your basement, Woods Basement Systems is here to help!

 

 

When builders are building a home, they only have so much money to spend. So, they tend to spend money on things that catch the eye rather than things the potential buyer won’t see, like a waterproofing system that would help the home to last longer.

            Two things that the builder does install is:

1.      A coating on the basement walls

2.      A proper drain around the bottom of the foundation called a “footing drain”