What Causes Basement to Leak?

The way basements are constructed makes them vulnerable to water intrusion and leaks.

It’s easy to blame a wet basement on mistakes made during a home’s construction process, but this is rarely the case. A common challenge that homeowners face is water in their basements. Not only is a wet basement a pain to clean up, but it can also ruin other parts of the room. The truth is that even a well-constructed basement foundation can still end up with a water problem.

Ox Foundation has been successfully helping residential owners to keep their basement dry and odor-free, securing the air quality and making their home a worth living place. Taking a closer look at how a typical basement foundation is built, we can identify several steps that introduce an opportunity for future basement water problems.

That is why it is always recommended to take the help of professionals and not try to do anything by yourself cause the problem might enlarge. If you're living in Cleveland, Kansas, Adamsville, Birmingham, Lincoln, and many more areas covering the greater Alabama then please give us a call at 205-690-7272 and we will dispatch an emergency 24/7 crew to solve your basement leaks.

Causes of Basement Leaks

1. Excavation and Backfilling

Excavation is the first step in basement construction, followed by the pouring of the footings and walls of a basement. At that point, the excavated soil is backfilled into place, against the foundation walls. This soil is looser and more permeable than the "virgin" soil that was left untouched. Higher permeability means that this looser soil absorbs more water, especially when it rains, and this water will tend to collect against the foundation wall.'

Takeaway: The soil closest to your foundation is more absorbent and permeable.

2. Exterior Drainage

An exterior foundation drain is often installed to provide an escape route for groundwater. Unfortunately, these drains can fail, such as when a section of the drain line is crushed during the backfilling process. Even when properly installed, an exterior drain line will eventually clog up with silt or become obstructed by growing roots. When the exterior drainage system fails, water pressure, referred to as hydrostatic pressure, can build up against the foundation.

Takeaway: Drainage is often improperly designed and installed and eventually clogs and fails.

Water Leaks in your Basement

Here are some of the common problems that lead to a water leak in your basement:

• Floor Cracks
• Plumbing Flood
• Wall Cracks
• Water Heater Flood
• Sump Pump Failure

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