Signs of water in your basement is often caused by hydrostatic pressure. The term sounds complicated, but in theory it is actually very easy to understand. Keep reading to learn all about what hydrostatic pressure is and how you can fix potential issues with water around your home’s foundation.
What Is Hydrostatic Pressure?
Hydrostatic pressure is a fancy term for explaining the force created by water build up around your home’s foundation. The soil around your home’s foundation becomes saturated from rain and runoff water and overtime puts excessive pressure around your home’s foundation causing water to eventually finds its way into your home.
How to Fix Hydrostatic Pressure
One of the simplest ways to fix hydrostatic pressure is to drill weep holes into your basement’s foundation. This allows the hydrostatic pressure to be relieved and sends water into your basement’s drainage system so that the water can then be sent to your sump pump and pumped away from your foundation.
Drilling weep holes, will relieve the water pressure and prevent cracks and damages to your basement’s foundation, helping to prevent larger basement water issues. It’s best to leave this task up to a professional waterproofer to ensure weep holes are drilled properly.
What Causes Hydrostatic Pressure?
Hydrostatic pressure is typically caused by clogged drains and poor drainage at the base of your foundation. The water starts to push on the soil and exterior walls of your home and eventually leads to a wet or flooded basement. If these problems aren’t addressed the pressure of water can cause a number of issues, leading to costly repairs.
The Risks of Hydrostatic Pressure
Common issues resulting from hydrostatic pressure are damp and moist walls, mildew and mold, and wet or flooded basements. Your basement’s foundation is made of concrete which happens to be a permeable material. This means it’s susceptible to pores and cracking, which allows water to seep through and find its way into your basement.
A Waterproofing Specialist Can Help
In order for weep holes to fix the issue, your basement needs a drainage system around the perimeter of your foundation. Contact a local waterproofer like Wise Waterproofing to get an expert opinion about the best solution for your basement water issues and for relieving hydrostatic pressure!
