Is your Basement floor leaking? If you would try to figure out the causes of these leaks, maybe there was a recent flooding in your area? Or perhaps the winter snow is melting? But no matter what the case is, you just might have no idea why there’s any leak at all! But for some reason, your basement will eventually leak. These leaks are often hard to repair because it’s difficult to find out where they come from. We do have some guidelines that you could follow to fix it on your own, but it’s essential to just call us up to do the job. It might be too much for you, and we can do a great job in applying waterproofing sealers for your basement surface.

What’s the Reason behind Basement Leaks?

There are lots of factors that could cause a basement to leak. Before your foundation was poured and concrete walls installed, a hole that’s larger than the foundation itself was dug. This is the place where the foundation was poured and walls installed. A gap is found between the balls and the undisturbed soil. This gap is then filled with loose rock and soil. This type of soil is called a “backfill” soil. It’s never as hard as the undisturbed soil. When water flows around the concrete foundation, if fills the porous spaces and the backfill soil. The water leaks through every opening and crack found on the concrete. The water’s additional weight in the backfill puts pressure on the basement concrete wall, causing it to cracks and voila! Say hello to leaks!

Repairing Basement Leaks

There are several systems that we use when we repair basement leaks:

Negative side sealant – this involves the use of waterproof pain or hydraulic cement that coats an interior basement wall. The cracks will be sealed and moisture won’t pass through. However, this is not a permanent sealing solution.

Exterior excavation – in this system, we dig all the way down to the concrete footing from the outside. A waterproofing membrane is then applied and a protective drainage board is laid over it. This is also not a permanent solution.

Interior footing drains – same as exterior excavation, except it’s done from the inside. Also not a permanent solution.

Baseboard system – weep holes are drilled in the floor or wall joint (could be in the wall itself). A vinyl baseboard is then epoxied to the floor. The water is then directed into a sump pump system which then drains the water through a pipe. This fix is only used with single-piece floors or other rare circumstances.

Call us up for an efficient fix!

Going DIY when repairing concrete is never a bad thing, it could even help you learn. But it is also incredibly difficult and challenging. The best thing to do is to call us up and we can help you find the right solution and execute it with precision and care.

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